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LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  Of 
CALIFORNIA 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

IN  MEMORY  OF 
ALEXANDER  GOLDSTEIN 


University  of  California  •  Berkeley 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES 

AND 

INTERESTING     A  N  E  C  D  O  T  E  8 

OF 

PERSONS   OF   COLOR. 

TO   WHICH  IS   ADDED  A 

SELECTION  OF  PIECES  IN   POETRY. 
COMPILED  BY  A.  MOTT. 


"Of  a  truth  I  perceive  that  God  is  no  respecter  of  persons  : 

but  in  every  nation,  he  that  feareth  him,  and  worketh  righteousness, 

in  accepted  with  him."— Act»  x.  34,  35. 


NEW  YORK: 

STEREOTYPED   POR  AND  PRINTED  BY  ORDER  OP   THE   TRUSTEES 
OP  THE  RESIDUARY  ESTATE  OP  LINDLEY  MURRAY. 

M.   DAY,    PRIKTBR,    374   PEARL  ST. 


UMNSTAOC 


'1r 

ADVERTISEMENT 


LINDLEY  MURRAY,  the  Grammarian,  and  Author  of  several 
excellent  school  and  reading  books,  in  his  last  will,  bequeathed 
certain  funds  to  Trustees  in  America,  his  native  country,  for 
several  benevolent  objects,  including  the  gratuitous  distribution 
of  "  books  calculated  to  promote  piety  and  virtue,  and  the  truth 
of  Christianity." 

The  Trustees  have  heretofore  had  "  The  Power  of  Religion 
on»  the  Mind,  in  Retirement,  Affliction,  and  at  the  Approach  of 
Death,"  stereotyped,  and  several  thousand  copies  printed  and 
distributed ;  and  they  now  present  to  the  public  the  following 
work,  with  a  belief  that  it  is  well  calculated  to  promote  the  views 
designated  by  L.  Murray,  particularly  among  the  colored  popula 
tion  of  our  country. 

1839. 


PREFACE. 

THE  object  of  this  selection  is  not  to  set  forth  the 
exploits  of  the  warrior,  who  has  drenched  fields  in  blood, 
i»<;stroyed  cities  by  fire,  and  their  inhabitants  by  famine  ; 
wno  has  made  the  mother  a  widow,  and  her  children 
fatherless,  and  deprived  the  aged  of  their  comfort  and 
support  in  declining  life.  It  is  not  to  rehearse  the  ha 
rangues,  nor  to  set  forth  the  eloquence  of  the  man  of 
science ;  but  to  encourage  virtue  and  morality  in  the  dif- 
lerent  classes  of  society ;  and,  by  bringing  into  view  the 
erfects  which  a  system  of  slavery  has  on  the  human 
mind,  and  the  dreadful  consequences  of  that  arbitrary 
power  invested  in  the  slaveholder  over  his  fellow-being 
to  show  how  it  hardens  the  heart  and  petrifies  the  feel 
ings. 

No  doubt  there  are  some  men,  who,  in  early  life,  and 
Before  they  were  placed  in  authority,  like  Hazael,  would 
have  been  shocked  to  hear  predicted  what  they  have 
afterward,  and  under  different  circumstances,  put  in 
practice  ;  but  there  are  others,  who,  being  trained  up  in 
the  midst  of  slavery,  and  inured  from  their  infancy  to 
see  the  sufferings  of  the  poor  slaves,  and  to  hear  their 
cries,  become  almost  insensible  to  the  responsibility  of 
their  station,  and  the  enormity  of  the  evils  they  are  com 
mitting.  For  these,  as  well  as  for  the  slaves,  our  tender- 
est  sympathy  ought  to  be  awakened,  and  our  aspirations 
to  ascend  before  Him  who  can  unstop  the  deaf  ear,  and 
open  the  eyes  even  of  those  who  are  blind. 

The  design  of  this  selection  is  also  to  show  the  bane- 

k        129 


IV  PREFACE. 

ful  effects  of  that  degradation  to  which  the  children  of 
Africa  have,  in  an  especial  manner,  been  subjected  by 
the  slave  trade  j  and  to  exhibit,  for  encouragement  and 
imitation,  the  salutary  and  cheering  influence  of  the 
Christian  religion  on  such  as  have  faithfully  followed  its 
dictates,  though  some  of  them  have  been  held  in  bcrdage. 

Here  we  may  observe,  that  it  is  not  the  inhabitants  of 
any  particular  country  or  climate  that  are  the  favorites  of 
Him  who,  without  respect  of  persons,  judgeth  every  man 
according  to  his  works,  and  the  integrity  of  his  heart ; 
but  it  is  the  faithful,  and  those  only,  who  can  look  for 
ward  to  the  termination  of  their  pilgrimage  here,  wkh.  a 
hope  that  they  will  then  be  admitted  into  the  mansions 
of  bliss,  where  the  wicked  cease  from  troubling,  and  the 
weary  find  rest. 

Some  instances  will  be  found,  where  men,  by  yielding 
to  the  convicting  power  of  truth,  and  the  noble  feelings 
of  justice,  have  broken  the  chains  of  slavery,  and  said 
to  the  captive,  Go  free.  May  others,  by  following  their 
example,  share  in  the  reward  attendant  on  such  acts  of 
benevolence.  And  may  those  persons  of  color  who  en 
joy  the  inestimable  privilege  of  freemen,  either  by  birth 
right  or  by  emancipation,  always  bear  in  mind,  that  by 
their  good  conduct  they  not  only  promote  their  own  hap 
piness,  but  that  they  advocate  the  cause  of  Universal 
Emancipation,  by  showing  to  the  world  their  capability 
of  enjoying  the  benefits  of  society,  and  providing  com 
fortably  for  themselves. 

In  preparing  these  pieces  for  the  press,  I  have  taken 
the  liberty  of  abridging  some  of  those  which  have  al 
ready  appeared  in  print.  And  in  some  instances,  where, 


PREFACE.  T 

in  the  first  narration,  the  character  was  not  fully  delin 
eated  or  finished,  I  have  supplied  that  deficiency  from 
later  writers,  or  from  inquiries  of  those  who  had  been 
personally  acquainted  with  the  individual;  as  in  the 
cases  of  Joseph  Rachel,  Phillis  Wheatley,  &c. 

Hickory  Grove,  llth  mo.  1825.  A.  M. 


The  following  remarks,  as  well  as  divers  other  pieces 
in  this  selection,  are  generally  taken  from  "  An  Inquiry 
into  the  Intellectual  and  Moral  Faculties  of  the  Ne 
groes,"  by  GREGORIE. 

"Many  authors  have  borne  testimony  to  the  pleasant 
ness  and  fertility  of  Africa,  and  to  the  generosity  and 
filial  affection  of  its  inhabitants.  In  reading  Ledyard, 
Lucas,  Mungo  Park,  Hornman,  and  others,  we  find  that 
the  inhabitants  of  the  interior  are  more  virtuous  and 
more  civilized  than  those  on  the  sea  coast ;  surpass  them 
also  in  the  preparation  of  wool,  leather,  cotton,  wood,  and 
metals ;  in  weaving,  dying,  and  sewing.  Golberry  says 
that  '  in  Africa  there  are  no  beggars  except  the  blind.' 

"  Adanson,  who  visited  Senegal  in  1754,  when  describ 
ing  the  country,  says,  'It  recalled  to  me  the  idea  of  the 
primitive  race  of  men.  I  thought  I  saw  the  world  in  its 
infancy.  The  negroes  are  sociable,  humane,  obliging, 
and  hospitable,  and  they  have  generally  preserved  an 
estimable  simplicity  of  domestic  manners.  They  are 
distinguished  by  their  tenderness  for  their  parents  and 
great  respect  for  the  aged — a  patriarchal  virtue,  which  in 
our  day  is  too  little  known.' 

"Robin  speaks  of  a  slave  in  Martinico,  who,  having 
1* 


Vi  PREFACE. 

gained  money  sufficient  for  his  own  ransom,  purchased 
with  it  his  mother's  freedom.  The  most  horrible  out 
rage  that  can  be  committed  against  a  negro,  is  to  curse 
his  father  or  his  mother,  or  to  speak  of  either  with  con 
tempt. 

"  Mungo  Park  observes,  that  a  slave  said  to  his  mas 
ter,  ( Strike  me,  but  curse  not  my  mother.'  And  that  a 
negress  having  lost  her  son,  her  only  consolation  was, 
that  he  had  never  told  a  lie.  Casuaux  relates,  that  a 
negro,  seeing  a  white  man  abuse  his  father,  said,  '  Carry 
away  the  child  of  this  monster,  that  it  may  not  learn  to 
imitate  his  conduct.' 

"  The  Bishop  Jacquemin  had  been  twenty-two  years 
at  Guiana,  where  he  was  much  beloved.  When  they 
ceased  to  employ  him  as  a  pastor,  those  Indians  said  to 
him,  'Father,  thou  art  aged:  remain  with  us,  and  we 
will  hunt  and  fish  for  thee.' 

"  Many  others  might  be  added  from  the  official  depo 
sitions  made  at  the  bar  of  Parliament,  and  before  the 
select  committee  of  the  House  of  Commons,  in  England, 
in  1790  and  1791 ;  but  these  may  suffice  to  encourage 
others  to  similar  acts  of  piety  and  filial  affection,  remem 
bering  also  that  we  must  expect  our  children  to  follow 
our  example. 

"  As  no  human  being  can  choose  the  place  of  his  birth 
or  the  advantages  of  ancestry,  so  it  manifests  great  folly 
to  build  our  fame  on  the  virtues,  riches,  or  honors  of 
those  who  have  gone  before  us,  or  to  despise  a  fellow- 
being  on  account  of  the  poverty  or  obscurity  of  his  birth. 
In  so  doing,  we  arraign  the  goodness  of  our  Creator,  and 
act  inconsistently  with  our  dependent  situation." 


PART  L 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES, 


FRANCIS  WILLIAMS, 

son  of  African  parents,  was  born  in  Ja 
maica,,  about  the  year  1700,  and  died  when  about 
seventy  years  of  age.  Struck  with  the  conspic 
uous  talents  of  this  negro,  when  he  was  quite 
young,  the  Duke  of  Montague,  governor  of  the 
island,  proposed  to  try  whether,  by  an  improved 
education,  he  would  be  equal  to  a  white  man  placed 
in  the  same  circumstances. 

2.  He  accordingly  sent  him  to  England,  where 
he  commenced  his  studies  in  a  private  school ;  and 
he  afterward  entered  the  University  of  Cambridge, 
where  he  made  considerable  progress  in  mathe 
matics,  and  other  branches  of  science. 

3.  After  several  years'  stay  in  England,  he  re 
turned  to  Jamaica,  where,  under  the  patronage  of 
the  governor,  he  opened   a  school,    and   taught 


8  JASMIN    THOUMAZEAU. 

Latin  and  mathematics.  He  also  wrote  many 
pieces  of  Latin  poetry  ;  some  of  which  were  pre 
sented  to  the  governor ;  and  one  of  his  friends 
says,  "  We  do  not  find,  among  the  defenders  of 
slavery,  one  half  of  the  literary  merit  of  Phillis 
Wheatley  and  Francis  Williams." 


JASMIN  THOUMAZEAU 

WAS  born  in  Africa,  in  1714,  and  brought  to 
St.  Domingo  and  sold  for  a  slave  when  he  was 
twenty-two  years  of  age  j  but  afterward  obtaining 
his  freedom,  he  married,  and  in  the  year  1756  es 
tablished  an  hospital,  at  the  Cape,  for  poor  negroes 
and  mulattoes.  More  than  forty  years  were  de 
voted  by  him  and  his  wife  to  this  benevolent  insti 
tution,  and  his  fortune  was  subservient  to  the  wants 
of  its  inmates. 

2.  The  only  regret  they  felt,  while  their  time 
and  substance  were  devoted  to  these  destitute  ob 
jects,  arose  from  a  fear  that,  after  they  were  gone, 
the  hospital  might  be  abandoned.  The  Philadel- 
phian  Society  at  the  Cape,  and  the  Agricultural 
Society  at  Paris,  decreed  medals  to  Jasmin,  who 
died  near  the  close  of  the  century. 


IGNATIUS    SANCHO.  9 


IGNATIUS  SANCHO. 

THE  parents  of  Sancho  were  brought  from  Af 
rica  in  a  vessel  employed  in  the  slave  trade,  and 
he  was  born  on  the  passage.  When  they  arrived 
at  Carthagena,  he  received  the  name  of  Ignatius. 
The  change  of  climate  and  other  sufferings,  soon 
brought  his  mother  to  the  grave ;  and  his  father, 
being  doomed  to  the  horrors  of  slavery,  in  a  mo 
ment  of  despair  put  an  end  to  his  existence  with 
his  own  hands. 

2.  Ignatius  was  not  two  years  old  when  he  was 
taken  to  England  by  his  master,  and  presented  to 
three  young  ladies,  sisters,  at  Greenwich.     His 
character  was  such  that  they  added  the  name  of 
Sancho ;    and  he  some  time  after  attracted  the 
notice  of  the  Duke  of  Montague.     This  gentle 
man  admired  in  him  a  frankness,  which  was  neither 
degraded  by  servitude,  nor  corrupted  by  a  false 
education.     He  often  lent  him  books,  and  advised 
his  mistresses  to  instruct  him,  and  improve  his 
genius. 

3.  But  when  grown,  being  subject  to  like  pas 
sions  with  other  young  men,  he  was  led  into  dif 
ficulty  ;  and  the  duke,  his  friend,  being  dead,  he 
was  at  a  loss  what  to  do ;  but  the  dutchess,  his 
widow,  had  compassion  on  him,  and  employed  him 
ts  her  butler,  in  which  situation  he  remained  until 


10  IGNATIUS    SANCHO 

her  death.  By  his  economy,  and  a  legacy  left 
him  by  this  lady,  he  was  in  possession  of  seventy 
pounds  sterling,  and  thirty  of  an  annuity. 

4.  After  the  death  of  this  kind  friend,  he,  wan 
dering  about,  often  fell  into  bad  company,  and  was 
reduced  to  suffering ;  but  he  at  length  engaged  at 
service  in  a  respectable  family,   and  his  conduct 
becoming  regular,  he  soon  married   an  interesting 
female  born  in  the  West  Indies. 

5.  In  1773,  he  had  frequent  attacks  of  the  gout : 
but,  by  the  generosity  of  the  before-mentioned  lady 
in  her  annuity,  and   his  own  economy,  he  com 
menced  an  honest  trade  ;  and  by  the  assistance  of 
his  wife's  industry  and  frugality,  he  reared  a  nu 
merous  family.     The  public  esteem  was  obtained 
by  his  domestic  virtues.     He  died  on  the  15th  of 
December,  1780.     After  his  death,  a  fine  edition 
of  his  letters  was  published ;  a  few  extracts  from 
which  will  close  this  account. 

6.  "  According  to  the  plan  of  the  Deity,  com 
merce,"  says  he,  "  ought  to  render  common  to  all 
the  globe  the    productions    of   each   country:    it 
ought  to  unite  nations  by  the  sentiments  of  recip 
rocal  wants,  of  fraternal  amity,  and  thus  facilitate 
a  general  diffusion  of  the  benefits  of  the  gospel. 
But  those  poor  Africans  whom  Heaven  has  favor 
ed  with  a  rich  and  luxuriant  soil,  are  the  most  un 
happy  of  the  human  race,  by  the  horrible  traffic 
in  slaves ;  and  this,  too,  is  performed  by  Chris- 

tians  '  i  Rfcttflxme  ibMw  n 


IGNATIUS   SANCHO.  11 

7.  In  speaking  of  the  Dutchess  of  K ,  tor 
mented  by  conscience,  the  great  chancellor  of  the 
soul,  he  says,  "  Act,  then,  always  in  such  a  man 
ner  as  to  gain  the  approbation  of  your  heart — 
to  be  truly  brave,  one  must  be  truly  good.     We 
have  reason  as  a  rudder,  religion  for  our  anchor, 
truth  for  our  polar  star,  conscience  as  a  faithful 
monitor,  and  perfect  happiness  as  a  recompense.'1 

8.  In   the   same  letter,   endeavoring   to    drive 
away  recollections  which  might  expose  his  virtue 
to  a  new  shipwreck,  he  exclaims,  "  Why  bring  to 
mind  those  combustible  matters,    while,    rapidly 
glancing  over  my  past  years,  I  approach  the  end 
of  my  career  ?     Have  I  not  the  gout,  six  children, 
and  a  wife  ?  O  Heaven !  where  art  thou  ? 

9.  "  You   see  that  it  is  much  easier  to  speak 
than  to  act.     But  we  know  how  to  separate  good 
from  evil ;  let  us  arm.  ourselves  against  vice,  and 
act  like  a  general  in  his  camp,  who  ascertains  the 
force  and  position  of  the   enemy,   and  places  ad 
vance  guards  to  avoid  surprise  :  let  us  act  so,  even 
in  the  ordinary  course  of  human  life  ;  and  believe 
me,  my  friend,  that  a  victory  gained  over  passion, 
immorality,  and  pride,  is  more  deserving  of  a  te 
Deum  than  that  which  is  obtained  in  the  field  of 
ambition  and  carnage," 


ATTOBAH    CUGOANO. 


ATTOBAH  CUGOANO 

WAS  born  on  the  coast  of  Fantin,  in  the  town  of 
Agimaque.  He  says  that  he  was  dragged  from 
his  country,  with  twenty  other  children  of  both 
sexes,  by  European  robbers,  who,  brandishing 
their  pistols  and  sabres,  threatened  to  kill  them  if 
they  attempted  to  run  away.  "  They  confined  us," 
says  he,  "  and  soon  I  heard  nothing  but  the  clang 
ing  of  chains,  the  sound  of  the  whip,  and  the  cries 
of  my  fellow-prisoners." 

2.  In  this  dreadful  situation,  he  was  carried  to 
Grenada  and  made   a  slave.     But  Lord  Hoth,  in 
his  generosity,  liberated  him  and  carried  him  to 
England.     He  was  there  in  1788,  in  the  service  of 
Cosway,  the  first  painter  to  the  Prince  of  Wales. 
Piatoli,  who,  during  a  long  residence  in  London, 
was  particularly  acquainted  with   Cugoano,  then, 
about  forty  years   of  age,  and  whose  wife  was  an 
English  woman,  praises  this  African  highly ;  and 
speaks  in  strong  terms  of  his  piety,  his  mildness 
of  character,  modesty,  integrity,  and  talents. 

3.  At  Grenada,  he  saw  the  negroes  lacerated  by 
the  whip,  because,  instead  of  working,  they  went 
to  church  on  Sundays.     He  saw  others  have  their 
teeth   broken,   because   they   dared   to  suck   the 
sugar-cane.     Being  a  witness  to  these  cruelties,  he 
paints  the  heart-rending  spectacle   of  those  poor 


ATTOBAH    CUGOANO.  13 

Africans  in  a  moving  manner ;  describing  their 
being  forced  to  bid  a  final  farewell  to  their  native 
soil — to  fathers,  mothers,  husbands,  wives,  broth 
ers,  and  children,  and  all  that  they  hold  dear ;  in 
voking  Heaven,  bathed  in  tears ;  and  enclosed  in 
one  another's  arms,  giving  the  last  embrace,  and 
instantly  torn  asunder !  "  This  spectacle,"  says 
he,  "  calculated  to  move  the  hearts  of  monsters, 
does  not  move  that  of  the  slave  dealer." 

4.  Cugoano   published   his   reflections   on    the 
slave  trade,  and  the  slavery  of  the  negroes,  in  En 
glish  ;  and  it  has  since  been  translated  into  French. 
He  raised  his  voice  to  spread  abroad  the  spirit  of 
religion,  and  to  prove  by  the  Bible,  that  the  steal 
ing,  sale,  and  purchase  of  men,  and  their  detention 
in  a  state  of  slavery,   are  crimes  of  the  deepest 
die. 

5.  After  some  remarks  on  the  cause  of  the  dif 
ference  of  color  in  the  human  species,  such  as  cli 
mate,  soil,  regimen,   &c.,  he  asks  whether  it  is 
"  more  criminal  to  be  black  or  white,  than  to  wear 
a  black  or  white  coat :  whether  color  and  bodily 
form  give   a  right  to  enslave  men.     The  negroes 
have  never  crossed  the  seas  to  steal  white  men. 
The  European  complains  of  barbarism,  while  his 
conduct  toward  negroes  is  horribly  barbarous. 

G.  "  To  steal  men — to  rob  them  of  their  liberty, 
is  worse  than  to  plunder  them  of  their  goods.  On 
national  crimes,  Heaven  sometimes  inflicts  national 

punishments.     Besides,  injustice  is  sooner  or  later 
9 


14  ATTOBAH   CUGOANO. 

fatal  to  its  author."    This  idea  is  comformable  to 
the  great  plan  of  religion,  and  ought  to  be  indel 
ibly  impressed  on  every  human  heart. 

7.  Cugoano  makes   a  striking  comparison  be 
tween  ancient  and  modern  slavery ;    and  proves 
that   the   last,   which   prevails    among  professing 
Christians,  is  worse  than  that  among  pagans ;  and 
also  worse  than  that  among  the  Hebrews,  who  did 
not  steal  men  to  enslave  them,  or  sell  them  with 
out  their  consent ;  and  who  put  no  fine  on  the 
head  of  a  fugitive. 

8.  In  Deuteronomy,  xxiii,  1 5,  it  is  formally  said, 
"  Thou  shalt  not  deliver  unto  his  master  the  ser 
vant  which  is  escaped  from  his  master  unto  thee." 
He  passes  from  the  Old  to  the  New  Testament, 
and    states    the    inconsistency    of   slavery    with 
Christ's  command  to  do  to  others   as  we  would 
they  should  do  to  us. 

9.  In  him  we  see  talents  without  much  literary 
cultivation  ;  and  to  which  a  good  education  would 
have  given  great  advantage.     His  writings  are  not 
very  methodical,  but  they  speak  the  language  of  a 
feeling  heart,  and  are  read  with  interest  by  those 
who  are  averse  to  slavery. 


FHILLXS  WHEATLEY  15 


PHILLIS  WHEATLEY. 

ALTHOUGH  the  state  of  Massachusetts  never 
was  so  deeply  involved  in  the  African  slave  trade 
as  most  of  the  other  states,  yet,  before  the  war 
which  separated  the  United  States  of  America 
from  Great  Britain,  and  gave  us  the  title  of  a  free 
and  independent  nation,  there  were  many  of  the 
poor  Africans  brought  into  their  ports  and  sold  for 
slaves. 

2.  In  the  year  1761,  a  little  girl  about  seven  or 
eight  years  old  was  stolen  from  her  parents  in  Af 
rica  ;    and  being  put  on  board  a  ship,   she   was 
brought  to  Boston,  where  she  was  sold  for  a  slave 
to  John  Wheatley,  a  respectable  inhabitant  of  that  • 
town.     Her  master  gave  her  the  name  of  Phillis, 
and  she,  assuming  that  of  her  master,  was  of  course 
called  Phillis  Wheatley. 

3.  Being  of  an  active  disposition,  and  veiy  at 
tentive  and  industrious,   in  about  sixteen  months, 
she  learned  the  English  language  so  perfectly,  that 
she  could  read  any  of  the  most  difficult  parts  of 
the  Scriptures,  to  the  great  astonishment  of  those 
who  heard  her.     And  this  she  learned  without  any 
school  instruction,  except  what  was  given  her  in 
the  family. 

4.  The  art  of  writing  she  obtained  by  her  own 
industry  and  curiosity,  and  in  so  short  a  time  that, 


16  PHILLIS    WHEATLEY. 

in  the  year  1765,  when  she  was  not  more  than 
twelve  years  of  age,  she  was  capable  of  writing 
letters  to  her  friends  on  various  subjects.  She 
also  wrote  to  several  persons  in  high  stations.  In 
one  of  her  communications  to  the  Earl  of  Dart 
mouth,  on  the  subject  of  Freedom,  she  has  the 
following  lines  : — 

5.  "  Should  you,  my  lord,  while  you  peruse  my  song, 
Wonder  from  whence  my  love  of  FREEDOM  sprung, 
Whence  flow  these  wishes  for  the  common  good, 
By  feeling  hearts  alone  best  understood — 
I,  young  in  life,  by  seeming  cruel  fate, 
Was  snatch'd  from  Afric's  fanci'd  happy  seat : 
What  pangs  excruciating  must  molest, 
What  sorrows  labor  in  my  parent's  breast ! 
Steel' d  was  that  soul,  and  by  no  misery  moved, 
That  from  a  father  seized  the  babe  beloved. 
Such,  such  my  case— and  can  I  then  but  pray, 
Others  may  never  feel  tyrannic  sway  !" 

6.  In  her  leisure  moments,  she  often  indulged 
herself  in  writing  poetry,  and  a  small  volume  of 
her  composition  was  published  in  1773,  when  she 
was  about  nineteen  years  of  age,  attested  by  the 
Governor  of  Massachusetts,   and  a  number  of  the 
most  respectable  inhabitants  of  Boston,  in  the  fol 
lowing  language : — 

7.  "We,  whose  names  are  under  written,  do 
assure  the  world  that  the  poems  specified  in  the 
following  pages  were,  (as  we  verily  believe,)  writ 
ten  by  Phillis,  a  young  negro  girl,  who  was,  but  a 
few  years  since,  brought  an  uncultivated  barbarian 


PHILLIS    WHEATLEY  17 

from  Africa ;  and  has  ever  since  been,  and  now  is, 
under  the  disadvantage  of  serving  as  a  slave  in  a 
family  in  this  town.  She  has  been  examined  by 
some'of  the  best  judges,  and  is  thought  qualified 
to  write  them."* 

8.  Her  master  says,   "  Having  a  great  inclina 
tion  to  learn  the  Latin  language,   she  has  made 
some  progress  in  it."     After  the  publication  of  the 
little  volume  mentioned,  at  about  the  twenty-first 
year  of  her  age,  she  was  liberated ;  but  she  con 
tinued  in  her  master's  family,  where  she  was  much 
respected   for   her   good   conduct.     Many  of  the 
most   respectable   inhabitants    of  Boston  and   its 
vicinity,  visiting  at  the  house,  were  pleased  with 
an  opportunity  of  conversing  with  Phillis,  and  ob 
serving  her  modest  deportment,  and  the  cultivation 
of  her  mind. 

9.  When  about  twenty-three,  she  was  married 
to  a  person  of  her  own  color,  who,  having   also 
obtained  considerable  learning,  kept  a  grocery,  and 
officiated   as    a   lawyer,    under    the   title    of  Dr. 
Peters,  pleading  the  cause  of  his  brethren,  the 
Africans,  before  the  tribunals  of  the  state. 

10.  The  reputation  he   enjoyed,  with  his  indus 
try,  procured  him  a  fortune ;  but  Phillis,  having 

*  Most  of  her  poetical  productions  have  a  religious  or  moral 
cast ;  all  breathe  a  soft  and  sentimental  feeling.  Twelve  relate  to 
the  death  of  friends.  Others  are  on  the  works  of  Providence ;  on 
virtue,  humanity,  and  freedom ;  with  one  to  a  young  painter  of 
her  own  color.  On  seeing  his  works,  she  vented  her  grief  for  the 
sorrows  of  her  countrymen,  in  a  pathetic  strain 
2* 


18  PHILLIS    WHEATLEY. 

been  much  indulged,  had  not  acquired  a  sufficient 
knowledge  of  domestic  concerns  ;  and  her  friends, 
by  continuing  their  particular  attention  to  her,  gave 
him  uneasiness,  which,  operating  on  a  disposition 
that  was  not  willing  to  have  her  more  respected 
than  himself,  first  manifested  itself  by  reproaches, 
which  were  followed  by  harsh  treatment.  The 
continuance  thereof  affecting  her  susceptible  mind 
and  delicate  constitution,  she  soon  went  into  a  de 
cline,  and  died  in  1780,  about  the  twenty-sixth 
year  of  her  age,  much  lamented  by  those  who 
knew  her  worth.  She  had  one  child,  which  died 
very  young ;  and  her  husband  survived  her  only 
ihree  years. 


POOR   SARAH.  19 


POOR  SARAH: 

Or,  Religion  Exemplified  in  the  Life  and  Death  of  a  Pious 
Indian  Woman. 

The  subject  of  the  following  narrative  lived  and  died  in  a  town  in 
the  eastern  part  of  Connecticut.  We  are  well  acquainted  with 
the  writer,  and  we  can  assure  our  readers  that  the  account  here 
given  is  true. — Editor  of  the  "Religious  Intelligencer.1' 

IT  was  a  comfortless  morning  in  the  month  of 
March,  1814,  when  I  first  formed  an  acquaintance 
with  the  subject  of  the  following  sketch. 

2.  She  called  to  solicit  a  few  crusts^  meekly 
saying  she   "  deserved  nothing  but  the  crumbs — 
they  were  enough  for  her  poor  old  body,  just  ready 
to  crumble  into  dust."     I  had  heard   of  Sarah,  a 
pious  Indian  woman,  and  I  was  therefore  prepared 
to  receive  her  with  kindness.     And  remembering 
the  words  of  my   Lord,  who  said,  "  Inasmuch  as 
ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these  my 
brethren,  ye  have  done  it  unto  me,"  I  was  ready 
to  impart  a  portion  of  my  little  unto  her ;  (for  lit 
tle,  alas  !  was  my  store.) 

3.  "  And  how,"  I  asked  her,  "  have  you  got 
along,  this  long,  cold  winter,   Sarah  ?"     "  0  mis- 
se  :"  she   replied,   "  God  better  to  Sarah  than  she 
fear.     When  winter  come  on,  Sarah  was  in  great 

doubt.     No  husband,  no  child  here  but  ; 

she  wicked,  gone  a  great  deal.     What  if  great 


20  POOR    SARAH. 

snow  come  ?  What  if  fire  go  out  ?  Nabor  great 
way  off.  What  if  sick  all  'lone  ?  What  if  I  die  ? 
Nobody  know  it. 

4.  "  While  I  think  so,  in  my  heart,  then  I  cry  : 
while  I  cryin',  somethin'  speak  in  my  mind,  and 
say,  *  Trust  God,  Sarah ;  he  love  his  people,  he 
never  leave  them,  he  never  forsake  them ;  he  never 
forsake  Sarah,  he  friend  indeed.     Go  tell   Jesus, 
Sarah  ;  he  love  hear  prayer ;  he  often  hear  Sarah 
pray.'     So  I  wipe  my  eyes  ;  don't  cry  any  more  , 
go  out  in  bushes,  where  nobody  see,  fall  down  on 
my  old  knees  and  pray.     God  give  me  great  many 
words  ;  pray  great  while.     God  make  all  my  mind 
peace. 

5.  "  When  I  get  up,  go  in  house,  can't  stop 
prayin'  in  my  mind.     All  my  heart  bum  with  love 
to  God ;  willin'  live  cold,  go  hungry,  be  sick,  die 
all  'lone,  if  God  be  there.     He  know  best ;  Sarah 
don't  know.     So  I  feel  happy ;  great  many  day  go 
singin'  Baptist  hymn — 

'Now  I  can  trust  the  Lord  for  ever, 
He  can  clothe,  and  he  can  feed, 
He  my  rock,  and  he  my  Saviour 
Jesus  is  a  friend  indeed.'  " 

6.  "  Well,  Sarah,  have  you  been  comfortably 
supplied  ?"     "  O  yes,"  she  replied,   "  I  never  out 
corn  meal  once  all  winter."     "  But  how  do  you 
cook  it,  Sarah,  so  as  to  make  it  comfortable  food  ?" 
"  0,  I  make  porridge,  misse.     Sometimes  I  get 


POOR    SARAH.  21 

out,  like  to  day,  and  I  go  get  some  crusts  bread 
and  some  salt  put  in  it,  then  it  is  so  nourishing  to 
this  poor  old  body  ;  but  when  can't  get  none,  then 
make  it  good  I  can,  and  kneel  down,  pray  God  to 
bless  it  to  me ;  and  I  feel  if  God  feed  me,  and  be 
so  happy  here  :" — (laying  her  hand  on  her  heart.) 

7.  O  what  a  lesson,  thought  I,  for  my  repining 
heart !     "  But  do  you  have  no  meat  or  other  neces 
saries,  Sarah  ?"     "  Not  often,  tnisse  ;  sometimes  I 
get  so  hungry  for  it,  I  begin  feel  wicked ;  then 
think  how  Jesus  hungry  in  the  desert.     But  when 
Satan  tempt  him  to  sin,  to  get  food,  he  would  not. 
So  I  say,  Sarah  won't  sin  to  get  victuals.     I  no 
steal,  no  eat  stole  food,  though  be  hungry  ever  so 
long.* 

8.  "  Then  God  gives  me  small  look  of  his  self, 
his  Son,  and  his  glory ;  and  I  think  in  my  heart, 
they  all  be  mine  soon ;  then  I  no  suffer  hunger 
any  more — my  Father  have  there  my  mansions." 
"  Sarah,"  said  I,   "  you  seem  to  have  some  knowl 
edge  of  the  Scriptures  ;  can  you  read  ?"     "  I  can 
spell  out  a  little;  I  can't  read  like  you  white  folks ; 
O,  if  I  could  !"  Here  she  burst  into  tears. 

9.  But   after   regaining    her    composure,    she 
added,  "  This,  misse,  what  I  want  above  all  things, 
more  than  victuals  or  drink.     O,  how  often  I  beg 
God  teach  me  to  read,  and  he  do  teach  me  some. 
When  I  take  Bible,  kneel  down  and  pray,  he  show 

*  This  might  refer  to  food  stolen  by  her  wicked  daughter. 


22  POOR  SARAH. 

me  great  many  words,  and  they  be  so  sweet,  I 
want  to  know  a  great  deal  more.  O,  when  I  get 
home  to  heaven,  then  I  know  all ;  no  want  to  read 
any  more." 

10.  In  this  strain  of  simple  piety,  she  told  me 
her  first  interesting  story.     And  when  she  depart 
ed,  I  felt  a  stronger  evidence  of  her  being  a  true 
child  of  God,   than  I  have  acquired  of  some  pro 
fessors   by   a  long  acquaintance.      In  one  of  the 
many  visits  she  afterward  made  me,  she  gave  me, 
in  substance,  the  following  account  of  her  conver 
sion  : — She  lived,  according  to  her  own  account, 
until  she  became  a  wife  and  mother,  without  hope 
and  without  God  in  the  world,  having  been  brought 
up  in  extreme  ignorance. 

1 1 .  Her  husband  treating  her  with  great  severity, 
she  became  dejected  and  sorrowful,  and  to  use  her 
own  simple  language,  "  I  go  sorrow,  sorrow,  all  day 
long.       When  the  night  come,  husband  come  home 
angry,  beat  me  so ;  then  I  think,  O,  if  Sarah  had 
friend  !  Sarah  no  friend.    I  no  want  tell  nabor  I  got 
trouble,  that  make  only  worse.     So  I  be  quiet,  tell 
nobody,  only  cry  all  night  and  day  for  one  good  friend. 

12.  "One  Sunday,   good  nabor  come,  and  say. 
*  Come,  Sarah,  go  meetin'.'     So  I  call  my  chil 
dren,  tell  'em  stay  in  house  while  I  go  meetin' 
When  got  there,  minister  tell  all  about  Jesus  ;  how 
he  was  bom  in  stable,  go  suffer  all  his  life,  die  on 
great  cross,  bury,  rise,  and  go  up  into  heaven,  to 
be  always  sinners'  friend.     He  say  too,  if  you  got 


POOR    SARAH.  23 

trouble,  go  to  Jesus.  He  best  friend  in  sorrow,  he 
cure  all  your  sorrow,  he  bring  you  out  of  trouble, 
he  support  you,  make  you  willin'  suffer. 

13.  "  So  when  I  go  home,  think  great  deal  what 
minister  say;  think  this  the  friend  I  want — this 
the  friend  I  cry  for  so  long.     Poor  ignorant  Sarah 
never  heard  so  much  about  Jesus  before.     Then  I 
try  hard  to  tell  Jesus  how  I  want  such  friend. 
But  O !  my  heart  so  hard,  can't  feel,  can't  pray, 
can't  love  Jesus,  though  he  so  good.     This  make 
me  sorrow  more  and  more. 

14.  "  When  Sunday  come,  want  to  go  meetin' 
'gain.     Husband  say,  *  You  sha'n't  go ;  I  beat  you 
if  you  go.'     So  I  wait  till  he  go  off  huntin',  then 
shut  up  children  safe,  and  run  to  meetin';  sit  down 
in  door,  hear  minister  tell  how  bad  my  heart  is — 
no  love  to  God,  no  love  to  Jesus,  no  love  to  pray. 
So  then  I   see  why  can't  have  Jesus  for  friend, 
'cause  got  so  bad  heart :  then  go  prayin'  all  way 
home,  Jesus  make  my  heart  better. 

15.  "When  got  home,  find  children  safe,  feel 
glad  husband  no  come  :  only  feel  sorry  'cause  my 
wicked  heart  don't  know  how    make   it    better. 
When  I  go  sleep,  then  drearn  I  can  read  good 
book :  dream  I  read  there,   Sarah  must  be  born 
'gain.     In  mornin'  keep  thinkin*  what  that  word 
mean.     When  husband  go  work,  run  over  my  good 
nabor,  ask  her  if  Bible  say  so. 

16.  "Then  she  read  me,  where  that  great  man 
go  see  Jesus  by  night,  'cause  'fraid  go  in  day  time. 


24  POOR    SARAH. 

I  think  he  just  like  Sarah.  She  must  go  in  secret, 
to  hear  'bout  Jesus,  else  husband  be  angry,  and 
beat  her.  Then  feel  'couraged  in  mind,  determin 
ed  to  have  Jesus  for  friend.  So  ask  nabor  how 
get  good  heart.  She  tell  me,  '  Give  your  heart  to 
Jesus,  he  will  give  Holy  Spirit,  make  it  better.' 
Sarah  don't  know  what  she  mean — never  hear 
'bout  Holy  Spirit. 

17.  "She  say  must  go  meelin'  next  Sunday, 
she  will  tell  minister  'bout  me — he  tell  me  what  to 
do.     So  Sarah  go  hear  how  must  be  born  'gain  ; 
minister  say,  *  You  must  go  fall  down  'fore  God  ; 
tell  him  you  grieved  'cause  you  sin — tell  him  you 
want  better  heart—tell  him  for  Christ  Jesus'  sake 
give   Holy  Spirit,  make  your  heart  new.'     Then 
Sarah  go  home  light,  'cause  she  know  the  way. 

18.  "When  get  home,  husband  beat  me  'cause 
I  go  meetin' — don't  stay  home  work.     I  say, '  Sarah 
can't  work  any  more  on  Sunday,  'cause  sin  'gainst 
God.     I  rather  work  night,  when  moon  shine.'     So 
he  drive  me  hoe   corn  that  night,  he  so  angry.     I 
want  to  pray  great  deal,  so  go  out  hoe  corn,  pray 
all  the  time.     When  come  in  house,  husband  sleep. 
Then  I  kneel  down  and  tell  Jesus  take  my  bad 
heart — can't  bear  bad  heart ;  pray  give  me  Holy 
Spirit,  make  my  heart  soft,  make  it  all  new. 

19.  "  So  great  many  days  Sarah  go  beg  for  a 
new  heart.     Go  meetin'  all  Sundays ;  if  husband 
beat  me,  never  mind  it ;  go  hear  good  nabor  read 
Bible  every  day.     So,  after  great  while,  God  make 


POOR    SARA.H.  25 

all  my  mind  peace.  I  love  Jesus;  love  pray  to 
him  ;  love  tell  him  all  my  sorrows.  He  take  away 
my  sorrow,  make  all  my  soul  joy;  only  sorry 
'cause  can't  read  Bible -^learn  how  to  be  like 
Jesus ;  want  to  be  like  his  dear  people  Bible 
tell  of. 

20.  "  So  I  make  great  many  brooms ;  go  get 
Bible  for  'em.     When  come  home,   husband  call 
me  fool  for  it ;  say  he  burn  it  up.     Then  I  go  hide 
it;  when  he  gone,  get  it,  kiss  it  many  times,  'cause 
it  Jesus'  good  word.     Then  I  go  ask  nabor  if  she 
learn  me  read ;  she  say,  ''Yes.'     Then  I  go  many 
days  learn  letters,  pray  Gocl  all  the  while  help  me 
learn  read  his  holy  word. ' 

21 .  "  So,  misse,  I  learn   read   Baptist  hymn ; 
learn  to  spell  out  many  good  words  in  Bible.     So 
every  day  take  Bible,  tell  my  children   that  be 
God's  word,  tell  'em  how  Jesus  die  on  cross  for 
sinner  :  then  make  'em  all  kneel  down,  I  pray  God 
give  'em  new  heart;  pray  for  husband  too,  he  so 
wicked.     O,  how  I  sorry  for  him;  fear  his  soul  go 
in  burnin'  flame." 

22.  "  Sarah,"  said  I,  "  how  long  did  your  husband 
live  ?'     "  O,  he  live  great  many  year."     "  Did  he 
repent  and  become  a  good  man  ?"     "  No,  misse,  I 
'fraid  not ;  he  sin  more  and  more.     When  he  got 
sick,  I  in  great  trouble  for  "him;  talk  every  day  to 
him,  but  he  no  hear  Sarah'.     I  say,  '  How  can  you 
bear  go  in  burnin'  fire,  where  worm  never  die, 
where  fire  never  go  out.'    kt  last  he  get  angry,  bid 


26  POOR    SARAH. 

me  hold  my  tongue.     So  I  don't  say  any  more, 
only  mourn  over  him  every  day  'fore  God. 

23.  "  When  he  die,  my  heart  say,  '  Father,  thy 
will  be  done — Jesus  do  all  things  well.      Sarah 
can't  help  him  now,  he  be  in  God's  hands ;  all  is 
well.'     So  then  give  my  heart  all  away  to  Jesus  ; 
tell  him  I  be  all  his ;  serve  him  all  my  life ;  beg 
Holy  Spirit  come  fill  all  my  heart,  make  it  all  clean 
and  white  like  Jesus.     Pray  God  help  me  learn 
more  of  his  sweet  word. 

24.  "And  now,  Sarah  live  poor  Indian  widow 
great  many  long  year :  always  find  Jesus  friend, 
husband,  brother,  all.     He  make  me  willin'  suffer; 
willin'  live  great  while  in  this  bad  world,  if  he  see 
best.     'Bove  all,  he  give  me  great  good  hope  of 
glory  when  I  die.     So  now  I  wait  patient  till  my 
change  comes." 

25.  While  she  was  giving  this  narration,  her 
countenance  bore  strong  testimony  to  the  diversi 
fied  emotions  of  her  soul.     I  might  greatly  swell 
the  list  of  particulars  ;  but  I   design  only  to  give 
the  outlines  of  an  e^kmple  which  would  have  done 
honor  to  the  highest  sphere  in  life ;  and  which,  in 
my  opinion,  is  not  the  less  excellent,  or  the  less 
worthy  of  imitation,  because  shrouded  in  the  veil  of 
poverty  and  sorrow.     It  was  evident  she  meditated 
much  on  what  little  she  knew   of  divine  things  ; 
and  what  she  knew  of  God's  word  was  to  her  like 
honey  and  the  honeycomb. 

26.  She  was  in  the  habit  of  bringing  bags  of 


POOR    SARAH.  27 

sand  into  the  village,  and  selling  it  to  buy  food. 
Sometimes  she  brought  grapes  and  other  kinds  of 
fruit.  But  as  she  walked  by  the  way,  she  took 
little  notice  of  any  thing  that  passed,  (except  chil 
dren,  whom  she  seldom  passed  without  an  affec 
tionate  word  of  exhortation  to  be  good,  say  their 
prayers,  learn  to  read  God's  word,  &c.,  accompa 
nied  with  a  bunch  of  grapes  or  an  apple — thus  en 
gaging  the  affection  of  many  a  little  heart,)  but 
seemed  absorbed  in  meditation;  and  you  might 
often  have  observed  her  hands  uplifted,  in  the  atti 
tude  of  prayer. 

27.  One  day,  after  having  observed  her  as  she 
came,  I  asked  her  how  she  could  bring  so  heavy 
loads,  old  as  she  was,  and  feeble.     "  O,"  said  she, 
"when  I  get  great  load,  then  I  go  pray  God  give 
me  strength  to  carry  it.     So  I  go  on,  thinkin1  all 
the  way  how  good  God  is  give   his  only  Son  die 
for  poor  sinner ;  think  how  good  Jesus  be,  suffer 
so  much  for  such  poor  creature ;  how  good  Holy 
Spirit  was,  come  into  my  bad  heart,  make  it  all 
new  :  so  these  sweet  thoughts  make  my  mind  so 
full  joy,  I  never  think  how  heavy  sand  be  on  my 
old  back." 

28.  Here,  said  I  to  my  heart,  learn  how  to  make 
the  heavy  load  of  iron  cares  easy.     One  day  she 
passed  with  a  bag  of  sand.     On  her  return  she 

called  on  me.     I  inquired  how  much  Mrs.  

gave  her  for  the  sand.     She  was  unwilling  to  tell, 
and  I  feared  she  was  unwilling  lest  I  should  with- 


28  POOR    SARAH. 

hold  my  accustomed  mite,  on  account  of  what  she 
had  already  received;  I  therefore  insisted  she 
should  let  me  see. 

29.  She  at  length  consented,   and  I  drew  from 
the  bag  a  bone,   not  containing  meat  enough  for 
half  a  meal.     "  Is  this  all  ?     Did  that  rich  woman 
turn  you  off  so  ?     How  cruel,  how  hard-hearted  !" 
I  exclaimed.     "  Misse,"  she   replied,    "this  made 
me  'fraid  let  you  see  it ;  I  'fraid  you  would  be 
angry:  I  hope  she  have  bigger  heart  next  time, 
only  she  forget  now  that  Jesus  promise  to  pay  her 
all  she  give  Sarah.     Don't  be  angry,   I  pray  God 
to  give  her  a  great  deal  bigger  heart." 

30.  The  conviction,  that  she  possessed,  in  an 
eminent  degree,  the  Spirit  of  him  who  said,  "  Bless 
them  that  curse  you,"  and  prayed  for  his  murder 
ers,  rushed   upon  my  mind  with  energy,    and  I 
could  compare    myself  in  some  measure  to  those 
who  said,  "  Shall  we  command  fire  to  come  down 
from  heaven,"  &c.     I  think   I   never   felt  deeper 
self-abhorrence   and  abasement;  I   left   her  for  a 
moment,  and  from  the  few  comforts  I  possessed, 
gave  her  a  considerable  portion. 

31.  She   received  them  with  the  most  visible 
marks  of  gratitude — arose  to  depart,  went  to  the 
door,  and  then  turned,  looking  me  in  the  face  with 
evident   concern.     "  Sarah,"  said  I,  "  what  would 
you  have  ?"  (supposing  she  wanted  something  I  had 
not  thought  of,  and  she  feared  to  ask.)  "  O  my  good 
misse  !"  said  she,  "nothing  ;  only :' fraid  your  big 


POOR    SARAH.  29 

heart  feel  some  proud  'cause  you  give  more  for 
nothing  than  Misse for  sand." 

32.  This  faithfulness,  added  to  her  piety  and 
gratitude,  completed  the  swell  of  feeling  already 
rising  in  my  soul ;  and  bursting  into  tears,  I  said, 

"  O  Sarah  !  when  you  pray  that  Mrs. may 

have  a  bigger  heart,  don't  forget  to  pray  that  I  may 
have  an  humbler  one."  "  I  will,  misse,  I  will,"  she 
exclaimed  with  joy,  and  hastened  on  her  way. 

33.  Another  excellence  in   her  character,  was, 
that  she  loved  the  habitation  of  God's  house,  and 
often  appeared  there,  when,  from  bad  weather  or 
othes  causes,  many  a  seat  of  affluence  was  empty. 
She  was  always  early,  ever  clean  and  whole  in  her 
apparel,  though  sometimes  almost  as  much  diver 
sified  with  patches  as  the  shepherd's  coat. 

34.  She  was  very  old  and  quite  feeble,  yet  she 
generally  stood  during  public   service,  with  eyes 
riveted  on  the  preacher.     I  have  sometimes  over 
taken  her  on  the  steps,  after  service,  and  tapping 
her  on  her  shoulder,  would  say,  "  Have  you  had 
a  good  day,  Sarah?"     "All  good — sweeter  than 
honey,"  she  would  reply. 

35.  In  the  spring  of  1818,  it  was  observed  by 
her  friends  that  she  did  not  appear  at  meeting  as 
usual,  and  one  of  her  particular  female  benefactors 
asked  her  the  reason ;  when  she,  with  streaming 
eyes,  told  her  that  her  clothes  had  become  so  old 
and  ragged,  that  she  could  not  come  with  comfort 
or  decency ;  but  said  she  had  been  praying  God  to 

3* 


30  POOR    SARAH 

provide  for  her  in  this  respect,  a  great  while,  and 
telling  Jesus  how  much  she  wanted  to  go  to  his 
house  of  prayer,  and  expressed  a  strong  desire  to 
be  resigned  and  submissive  to  his  will. 

36.  This  was   soon    communicated    to   a  few 
friends,  who  promptly  obeyed  the  call  of  Provi 
dence,  and  soon  furnished  this  suffering  member  of 
Christ  with  a  very  decent  suit  of  apparel.     This 
present  was  almost  overpowering  to  her  grateful 
heart.     She  received  them  as  from  the  hand  of  her 
heavenly  Father  and  kind  Redeemer,  in  answer  to 
her  special  prayer. 

37.  But  this  did  not  in  the  least  diminish  her 
gratitude  to  her  benefactors  ;  but  she  said  she.would 
go  on,  tell  Jesus  how  good  his  dear  people  were 
to  this  poor  old  creature,  and  pray  her  good  Father 
to  give  them  great  reward.     Two  of  the  garments 
given  her,  she  received   with  every  mark  of  joy. 
On  being  asked  why  she  set  so  high   a  value  on 
these,  she  replied,  "  0,  these  just  what  I  pray  for 
so  long,  so  as  to  lay  out  my  poor  old  body,  clean 
and  decent,  like  God's  dear  white  people,  when  I 
die." 

38.  These  she  requested  a  friend  to  keep  for 
her,  fearing  to  carry  them  home,  lest  they  should 
be  taken  from  her.     She  was,  however,  persuaded 
to  wear  one  of  them  to  meeting,  upon  condition 
that  if  she  injured  that,  another  should  be  provided  ; 
the  other  was  preserved  by  her  friend,  and  made 
use  of  at  her  death. 


POOR    SARA.II.  31 

39.  Thus  was    this  humble   band   of    female 
friends  honored,  by  anointing,  as  it  were,  the  body, 
beforehand,  to  the  burial.   And  I  doubt  not  that  her 
prayer  was  heard,  and  will  be  answered  in  their 
abundant  reward.     The  last  visit  I  had  from  her 
was  in  the  summer  of  1818.     She  had  attended  a 
funeral,  and  on  returning,  she  called  at  my  cottage. 
She  complained  of  great  weariness,  and  pain  in  her 
limbs,  and  showed  me  her  feet,  which  were  much 
swollen. 

40.  I  inquired  the  cause.     "  O,"  said  she,  with 
a  serene  smile,  "  death  comes  creeping  on ;  I  think 
in  grave-yard  to-day,  Sarah  must  lie  here  soon." 
"  Well,  are  you  willing  to  die  ?  do  you  feel  ready  ?" 
"  0,  I  hope,  misse,  if  my  bad  heart  tell  true,  I  wil- 
lin'  and  ready  to  do  just  as  Jesus  bid  me.     If  he 
say,  '  You  must  die,'  I  glad  to  go  be  with  him  ;  if 
he  say,  *  Live,  and  suffer  great  deal  more,'  then  I 
will  in'  do  that ;  I  think  Jesus  know  best. 

41.  "Sometime  I  get  such  look  of  heaven,  I 
long  to  go  see  Jesus  ;  see  happy  angel ;  see  holy 
saint ;  throw  away  my  bad  heart ;  lay  down  my 
old  body ;  and  go  where  I  no   sin.     Then  I  tell 
Jesus  ;  he  say,  '  Sarah,  I  prepare  a  place  for  you, 
then  I  come  to  take  you  to  myself.'     Then  I  be 
quite  like  child,  don't  want  to  go  till  he  call  me." 

42.  Much  more  she  said  upon  this  interesting 
subject,  which  indicated  a  soul  ripe  for  heavenly 
glories.    When  we  parted,  I  thought  it  very  doubt 
ful  whether  we  should  ever  meet  again  below.    la 


32  POOR   SARAH. 

the  course  of  three  weeks  from  this  time,  I  heard 
that  Sarah  was  no  more.  "  Is  Sarah  dead  ?"  said  I ; 
and  the  inquiry  gave  rise  to  the  thoughts  contained 
in  the  following  lines  : —  -, 

r        rn        tf^  r 

."    }?.&$  S'iil       *v'T£~£r-"  l   .^tt&b&i* 
43-   Is  Sarah  dead?    Let  not  a  sigh  arise, 

To  mourn  her  exit  froin  this  world  of  wo : 
Rather  let  tears  of  joy  suffuse  the  eyes 
That  oft  have  wept  h,ejr  stiff  ring  state  below. 

•  ,->. 

44.  Is  Sarah  dead?    Then  those  poor  aged  limbs> 

So  long  with  pain  and  weariness  oppress' d, 

An  easy  bed  in  yonder  grave  shall  find, 

"  And  long  and  sweet  shall  be  the  sacred  rest." 

45.  Is  Sarah  dead?    Then  never,  never,  more, 
Shall  hunger  force  her  from  her  wretched  cot, 
With  eager  step,  a  morsel  to  implore 
Where  poverty  and  tears  are  heeded  not. 

46.  No  longer  beat  beneath  a  heavy  load, 
I  see  her  struggle  on  her  weary  way, 

With  lifted  hands,  imploring  strength  of  God 
To  bear  the  heat  and  burden  of  the  day. 

47.  That  untaught  mind  shall  now  lament  no  mop* 
Its  scanty  knowledge  of  God's  holy  word, 

Or  grieve  that  she  had  not  begun  before 
To  banquet  on  the  goodness  of  the  Lord. 

48.  I  loved  thee,  Sarah,  for  I  well  could  trace 
My  Saviour's  image  in  thy  humble  soul ; 
Thy  heart  the  seat  of  his  almighty  grace, 
And  every  action  proved  its  sweet  control. 

49.  O  happy  Sarah !  (though  so  poor  and  low, 
That  few  on  thee  would  cast  a  pitying  look,) 
Since  thy  Redeemer  deign'd  his  love  to  show 
And  wrote  thy  name  in  life's  immortal  book. 


POOR   SARAH.  33 

50.  And  rather  far  would  I  thy  triumph  share, 
(And  ere  the  triumph  all  thy  sorrows  feel,) 
Than  gain  the  laurel  earthly  conq'rors  wear, 
And  all  the  sceptres  kings  and  princes  wield. 

51.  Thus,  while  the  pen  of  many  a  ready  writer 
is  employed  in  imparting  instruction,  reproof,  or 
correction,  to  the  rising  or  risen  generation ;  while 
the  deeds  of  the  mighty  are  recorded  with  splen 
dor  ;  the  exploits  of  heroes  proclaimed  from  the 
house  tops  ;  and  the  virtues  and  charities  of  God's 
people  are  exhibited,  that  others  may  see  their 
good  works,  and  glorify  their  Father  who  is  in  hea 
ven,  I  would,  according  to  my  humble  ability, 
snatch  from  oblivion  the  example  of  one,  who, 
though  scorned  by  the  proud,  and  overlooked  by 
the  great,  yet  was  known  and  beloved  by  an  hum. 
ble  few,  and  by  them  the  grace  of  God  was  mag 
nified  on  her  account. 


34  ALICE.    THE    NEGRO. 


ALICE,  THE  NEGRO. 

ABOUT  the  year  1802,  died,  in  Pennsylvania, 
a  female  slave,  named  Alice,  aged  one  hundred  and 
sixteen  years.  She  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  of 
parents  who  came  from  Barbadoes,  and  she  lived 
there  till  she  was  ten  years  old,  when  she  was  re 
moved  to  Dunk's  Ferry,  about  seventeen  miles  up 
the  Delaware  river,  near  which  she  lived  till  the 
end  of  her  days. 

2.  A  short  time  before  her  death,  she  paid  a  vis 
it  to  her  native  city.     Many  respectable  persons 
called  to  see  her,  who  were  pleased  with  her  inno 
cent  cheerfulness,  and  that  dignified  deportment, 
for  which,  though  a  slave  and  uninstructed,  she 
was  remarkable. 

3.  She  was  a  worthy  member  of  the  Episcopal 
society,  and   she  attended  their  public  worship  as 
long  as  she  lived  :  indeed,  she  was  so  zealous  to 
perform  this  duty  in  proper  time,  that  she  has  often 
been  met  on  horseback,  galloping  to  the  church, 
when  she  was  ninety-five  years  old. 

4.  The  veneration  she  had  for  the  Bible,  made 
her  lament  that  she  was  not  able  to  read  it :  but 
this  deficiency  was  in  part  supplied  by  the  kind 
ness  of  many  of  her  friends,  who,  at  her  request, 
would  read  it  to  her,  when  she   would  listen  with 
great  attention,  and  often  make  suitable  remarks. 


ALICE,    THE    NEORG.  35 

5.  She  was  temperate  in  her  living,  and  so  care 
ful  not  to  tell  an  untruth,  that  her  veracity  was 
never  questioned  ;  and  her  master  had  such  confi 
dence   in  her  honesty,  that  she  was  at  all  times 
trusted  to  receive  the  ferriage  money,  for  upward 
of  forty  years. 

6.  When  she  was   one  hundred  years  old,  the 
last  of  her  teeth  dropped  out.    She  also  about  that 
time  became  blind,  so  that  she  could  not  see  the  sun 
at  noonday  :  but  being  used  to  constant  employment, 
though  her  last  master  excused  her  from  her  usual 
labor,  she  did  not  like  to  be  idle  ;  for  she  afterward 
devoted  her  time  to  fishing,  at  which  she  was  very 
expert ;  and  even  when  blind,  she  would  frequent 
ly  row  herself  in  a  boat    to    the  middle   of   the 
stream,  from  which  she  seldom  returned  without  a 
handsome  supply  of  fish  for  her  master's  table. 

7.  About  the  hundred  and  second  year  of  her 
age,  her  sight  was  gradually    restored  a  little,  so 
that  she  could  see  objects  moving  before  her.    She 
retained  her  hearing  to  the  end  of  her  life  ;  but  be 
fore  she  died,  her  hair  became  perfectly  white. 

8.  The  honesty,  love  of  truth,  veneration  for  the 
Holy   Scriptures,  attention  to   religious   worship, 
temperance,  and  industry  of  this  poor  slave,  should 
be  a  lesson  to  us  ;  and  if  we  admire  her  character, 
if  we  ourselves  wish  to  become  good,  let  us  attend 
the  good  spirit,  the  spirit  of  Christ  in  our  hearts, 
which  reproves  us,  and  makes  us  feel  unhappy 
when  we  do  wrong ;  but  when  we  mind  its  re- 


36  THE    GENEROUS    NEGRO. 

proofs,  and  humbly  endeavor  to  do  what  we  know 
is  right,  it  gives  us  that  peace  of  mind  which  the 
world  cannot  give,  neither  can  it  take  away. 


THE   GENEROUS   NEGRO. 

JOSEPH  RACHEL,  a  respectable  negro,  resided  in 
the  island  of  Barbadoes.  He  was  a  trader,  and 
dealt  chiefly  in  the  retail  way.  In  his  business,  he 
conducted  himself  so  fairly  and  eomplaisantly,  that 
in  a  town  filled  with  little  peddling  shops,  his  doors 
were  thronged  with  customers.  Almost  all  dealt 
with  him,  and  ever  found  him  remarkably  honest 
and  obliging. 

2.  If  any  one  knew  not  where  to  obtain  an  arti 
cle,  Joseph  would  endeavor  to  procure  it,  without 
making  any  advantage  for  himself.     In  short,  his 
character  was  so  fair,  and  his  manners  so  gener 
ous,  that  the  best  people   showed  him  a  regard 
which  they  often  deny  to  men  of  their  own  color, 
because  they  are  not  blessed  with  the  like  goodness 
of  heart. 

3.  In  1756,  a  fire  happened,  which  burned  down 
a  great  part  of  the  town,  and  rained   many  of  the 
inhabitants.    Joseph  lived  in  a  quarter  that  escaped 
the  destruction,  and  expressed  his  thankfulness  by 
softening  the  distresses  of  his  neighbors.     Among 


THE    GENEROUS    NEGRO.  37 

those  who  had  lost  their  property  by  this  heavy 
misfortune,  was  a  man  to  whose  family  Joseph,  in 
the  early  part  of  his  life,  owed  some  obligations. 

4.  This  man,  by  too  great  hospitality,  an  excess 
very  common  in  the  West  Indies,  had  involved 
himself  in  difficulties,  before  the  fire  happened ; 
and  his  estate  lying  in  houses,  that  event  entirely 
ruined  him.     Amid  the  cries  of  misery  and  want, 
which  excited  Joseph's  compassion,  this  man's  un 
fortunate  situation  claimed  particular  notice.     The 
generous  and  open  temper  of  the  sufferer,  the  obli 
gations  that  Joseph  owed  to  his  family,  were  spe 
cial  and  powerful  motives  for   acting   toward  him 
the  part  of  a  friend. 

5.  Joseph  had  his  bond  for  sixty  pounds  ster 
ling.     "  Unfortunate    man,"  said  he,    "  this    debt 
shall  never  come  against  thee.     I  sincerely  wish 
ihou  couldst  settle  all  thy  other  affairs  as  easily. 
But  how  am  I  sure  that  I  shall  keep  in  this  mind  ? 
May  not   the  love   of  gain,   especially  when,  by 
length  of   time,  thy  misfortune  shall  become  fa 
miliar  to  me,  return  with  too  strong  a  current,  and 
bear  down  my  fellow-feeling  before  it?     But  for 
this  I  have  a  remedy.     Never  shalt  thou  apply  for 
the  assistance  of  any  friend  against  my  avarice." 

6.  He  arose,   and  ordered  a  large  account  that 
the  man  had  with  him,  to  be  drawn  out ;  and  in  a 
whim  that  might  have  called  up  a  smile  on  the 
face  of  Charity,  he  filled  his  pipe,  sat  down  again, 
twisted  the   bond  arid  lighted   his  pipe  with  it. 

4 


38  THE    GENEROUS    NEGRO. 

While  the  account  was  drawing  out,  he  continued 
smoking,  in  a  state  of  mind  that  a  monarch  might 
envy.  When  it  was  finished,  he  went  in  search  of 
his  friend,  with  the  discharged  account  and  the 
mutilated  bond  in  his  hand. 

7.  On  meeting  him,  he  presented  the  papers  to 
him  with    this    address  :      "  Sir,    I   am   sensibly 
affected  with  your  misfortunes  :  the  obligations  I 
have  received  from  your  family,  give  me  a  relation 
to  every  branch  of  it.     I  know  that  your  inability 
to  pay  what  you  owe,  gives  you  more  uneasiness 
than  the  loss  of  your  own  substance. 

8.  c*  That  you  may  not  be  anxious   on  my  ac 
count  in  particular,   accept  of  this  discharge,  and 
the  remains  of  your  bond.     I  am  overpaid  in  the 
satisfaction  that  I  feel  from  having  done  my  duty. 
I  beg  you  to  consider  this  only  as  a  token  of  the 
happiness  you  will  confer  upon  me,  whenever  you 
put  it  in  my  power  to  do  you  a  good  office." 

9.  The  philanthropists  of  England  take  pleasure 
in  speaking  of  him  : — "  Having  become  rich  by 
commerce,  he   consecrated  all  his  fortune  to  acts 
of   benevolence.      The   unfortunate,   without  dis 
tinction  of  color,  had  a  claim  on  his  affections.     He 
gave  to  the  indigent ;  lent  to  those  who  could  not 
make  a  return  ;  visited  prisoners,  gave  them  good 
advice,  and  endeavored  to  bring  back  the  guilty  to 
virtue.     He  died  at  Bridgetown,  on  that  island,  in 
1758,  equally  lamented  by  blacks  and  whiles,  for 
he  was  a  friend  to  all." 


CAPTAIN   PATJL    CUFFEE.  39 


CAPTAIN  PAUL  CUFFEE. 

PAUL  CUFPEE,  the  subject  of  this  narrative,  was 
the  youngest  son  of  John  Cuffee,  a  poor  African, 
whom  the  hand  of  unfeeling  avarice  had  dragged 
from  his  home  and  connections,  and  sold  into  a 
state  of  slavery  ;  but  who,  by  good  conduct,  faith 
fulness,  and  a  persevering  industry,  in  time  ob 
tained  his  freedom.  He  afterward  purchased  a 
farm,  and,  having  married  one  of  the  native  inhab 
itants  of  America,  brought  up  a  family  of  ten  chil 
dren  respectably,  on  one  of  the  Elizabeth  Islands, 
near  New  Bedford,  Massachusetts. 

2.  In  the  year  1773,  when  Paul  was  about  four 
teen  years  of  age,  his  father  died,  leaving  a  widow 
with  six  daughters  to  the  care  of  him  and  his 
brothers.      Although  he    had  no  learning  except 
what  he  had  received  from  the  hand  of  friendship 
yet  by  that  means  he  advanced  to  a  considerable 
degree  of  knowledge  in  arithmetic  and   naviga 
tion. 

3.  Of   the  latter,  he  acquired  enough   in  two 
weeks  to  enable  him  to  command  his  own  vessel 
in    its   voyages  to  many  ports  in  the   Southern 
States,  the  West  Indies,  England,  Russia,  and  to 
Africa.      The  beginning  of  his  business  in  this 
line  was  in  an  open  boat  ;  but  by  prudence  and 


40  CAPTAIN  PAUL  CUFPEE. 

perseverance,  he  was  at  length  enabled  to  obtain  a 
good-sized  schooner,  then  a  brig,  and  afterward  a 
ship.  In  the  year  1806,  he  owned  a  ship,  twc 
brigs,  and  several  smaller  vessels,  besides  consid 
erable  property  in  houses  and  lands. 

4.  Feeling  in  early  life  a  desire  of  benefiting 
his  fellow -men,  he  made  use  of  such  opportunities 
as  were  in  his  power  for  that  purpose.     Hence, 
during  the  severity  of  winter,  when  he  could  not 
pursue  his  usual  business  in  his  little  boat,  he  em 
ployed  his  time  in  teaching  navigation  to  his  own 
family  and  to  the  young  men  of  the  neighborhood. 
Even  on  his  voyages,  when   opportunity  offered, 
he  instructed  those  under  his  care  in  that  useful 
art. 

5.  He  was  so  conscientious,  that  he  would  not 
enter  into  any  business,  however  profitable,  that 
might  have  a  tendency  to  injure  his  fellow-men ; 
and  seeing  the  dreadful  effects  of  drunkenness,  he 
would  not  deal  in  ardent  spirits  on  that  account. 

6.  In  the  place  where  he  lived,  there  was  no 
school ;  and  as  he  was  anxious  that  his  children 
should  obtain  an  education,  he  built  a  house  on  his 
own  land,  at  his  own  expense,  and  gave  his  neigh 
bors  the  free  use  of  it ;  being  satisfied  in  seeing  it 
occupied  for  so  useful  and  excellent  a  purpose. 

7.  In  many  parts  of  his  history,  we  may  dis 
cover  that  excellent  trait  of  character  which  ren 
dered  him  so  eminently  useful — a  steady  perse 
verance  in  laudable  undertakings.     It  is  only  by  an 


CAPTAIN  PAUL  CUFFEE*  41 

honest  industrious  use  of  the  meana  in  our  power 
that  we  can  hope  to  become  respectable. -as! 

8.  His  mind  had  long  been  affected  with  the  de 
graded  and  miserable  condition  of  his  African  breth 
ren,  and  his  heart   yearning    toward    them,   his 
thoughts  were  turned  to  the  British:  settlement  at 
Sierra  Leone.     In   1811,  finding  his  property  suf 
ficient  to  warrant  the  undertaking,  and  believing  it 
to  be  his  duly  to  use  a  part  of  what  God  had  given 
him  for  the  benefit  of  his  unhappy  race,  he  em 
barked  in  his  own  brig,   manned  entirely  by  per 
sons  of  color,  and  sailed  to  Africa,  the  land  of  his 
forefathers. 

9.  After  he  arrived  at  Sierra  Leone,  he  had  many 
conversations  with  the  governor  and  principal  in 
habitants,  and  proposed  to  them  a  number  of  im 
provements.     Thence  he  sailed  to  England,  where 
he  met  great  attention  and  respect ;  and  being  fa 
vored  with  an  opportunity  of  opening  his  views  to 
the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  African  Institution, 
they  cordially  united  with  him  in  all  his  plans. 
This  mission  to  Africa  was  undertaken  at  his  own 
expense,  and  with  the  purest  motives  of  benev 
olence. 

10.  He  was  very  desirous  of  soon  making  an 
other  voyage,  but  was  prevented  by  the  war  which 
took  place  between  England  and  the  United  States. 
In  1815,  however,  he  made  preparations,  and  took 
on  board  his  brig  thirty-eight  persons  of  color ;  and 
after  a  voyage  of  thirty-five  days,  he  arrived  safe 


42  CAPTAIN  PAUL  CUFFEE. 

at  his  destined  port.  These  persons  were  to  in 
struct  the  inhabitants  of  Sierra  Leone  in  farming 
and  the  mechanic  arts.  His  stay  at  this  time  was 
about  two  months,  and  when  he  took  his  leave, 
particularly  of  those  whom  he  had  brought  over, 
it  was  like  a  father  leaving  his  children,  and  with 
pious  admonition  commending  them  to  the  protec 
tion  of  God. 

11.  He  was  making  arrangements  for  a  third 
voyage,  when  he  was  seized  with  the  complaint 
which  terminated  his  labors  and  his  life.     He  was 
taken  ill  in  the  winter,  and  died  in  the  autumn  fol 
lowing,  1817,  in  the  fifty-ninth  year  of  his  age. 
For  the  benefit  of  his  African  brethren,  he  devoted 
a  portion  of  his  youthful  acquisitions,  of  his  latter 
time,  and  even  the  thoughts  of  his  dying  pillow. 

12.  As  a  private  man,  he  was  just  and  upright 
in  all  his  dealings.     He  was   an  affectionate  hus 
band,  a  kind  father,  a  good  neighbor,  and  a  faith 
ful  friend.     He  was  pious  without  ostentation,  and 
warmly  attached  to  the  principles  of  the  Society 
of  Friends,   of  which  he  was  a  member ;  and  he 
sometimes    expressed    a    few    sentences    in  their 
meetings  which  gave  general  satisfaction.     Regard 
less  of  the  honors  and  pleasures  of  the  world,  he 
followed  the  example  of  his  divine  Master,  in  going 
from  place  to  place  doing  good,  looking  not  for.a 
reward  from  man,  but  from  his  heavenly  Father. 

13.  Thus  walking  in  the  ways  of  piety  and  use 
fulness,  and  in  the  enjoyment  of  an  approving  con- 


CAPTAIN    PAUL    CTJFFEE.  43 

science,  when  death  appeared,  it  found  him  in 
peace,  and  ready  to  depart.  Such  a  calmness  and 
serenity  overspread  his  soul,  and  showed  itself  in 
his  countenance,  that  the  heart  of  even  the  repro 
bate  might  feel  the  wish,  "  Let  me  die  the  death 
of  the  righteous,  and  let  my  last  end  be  like  his." 

14.  A  short  time  before  he  expired,  feeling  sen 
sible  that  his  end  was  near,  he  called  his  family 
together.     It  was  an  affecting  and  solemn  scene. 
His  wife  and  children,  with  several  other  relations, 
being  assembled  around  him,  he  reached  forth  his 
feeble  hand,  and  after  embracing  them  all,    and 
giving  them  some  pious  advice,  he  commended 
them  to  the  mercy  of  God,  and  bid  them  a  final 
farewell. 

15.  After  this,  his  mind  seemed  almost  entirely 
occupied  with  the  eternal  world.     To  one  of  his 
neighbors  who  came  to  visit  him,  he  said,  "  Not 
many  days  hence,  and  ye  shall  see  the  glory  of 
God.     I  know  that  my  works  are  gone  to  judg 
ment  before  me  ;  but  it  is  all  well,  it  is  all  well." 

16.  He  lived  the  life,   and  died  the  death  of  a 
Christian.     He  is  gone  whence  he  never  shall  re 
turn,  and  where  he  shall  no  more  contend  with 
raging  billows,   and   with  howling   storms.      His 
voyages  are  all  over,  he  has  made  his  last  haven, 
and  it  is  that  of  eternal  repose.     Thither  could  we 
follow  him,  we  should  learn  the  importance  of  ful 
filling  our  duty  to  our  Creator,  to  ourselves,  and  to 
our  fellow-creatures. 


44          CAPTAIN  PAUL  CUFFEE. 

17.  Such  was  his  reputation  for  wisdom  andiinp 
tegrity,  that  his  neighbors  consulted  him  in  all  their 
important  concerns  ;  and  what  an  honor  to  the  son 
of  a  poor  African  slave  !     And  the  most  respect 
able  men  in  Great  Britain  and  America  were  not 
ashamed  to  seek  to  him  for  counsel  and  advice. 

18.  Thus  we  see  how  his  persevering  industry 
and  economy,  with  the  blessing  of   Providence, 
procured  him  wealth ;  his  wisdom,  sobriety,  integ 
rity,  and  good  conduct  made  him  many  friends  ; 
his  zealous  labors  for  the  honor  of  his  Maker,  and 
for  the  benefit  of  his  fellow-men,  gave  him  a  peace 
ful  conscience ;    and  an  unshaken  belief   in  the 
mercies  and  condescending  love  of  his  heavenly 
Father,  afforded,  in  his  dying  moments,  that  calm 
ness,  serenity,  and  peaceful  joy,  which  are  a  fore 
taste  of  immortal  bliss. 

19.  The  following  is  an  extract  from  his  address 
to  his  brethren  at  Sierra  Leone  : — "  Beloved  friends 
and  fellow-countrymen,  I  earnestly  recommend  to 
you  the  propriety  of  assembling  yourselves    to 
gether  to  worship  the  Lord  your  God.     God  is  a 
spirit,  and  they  that  worship  him  acceptably,  must 
worship  in  spirit  and  in  truth. 

20.  "  Come,  my  African  brethren,  let  us  walk 
in  the  light  of  the  Lord  ;  in  that  pure  light  which 
bringeth  salvation  into  the  world.     I  recommend 
sobriety  and  steadfastness,  that  so  professors  may 
be  good  examples  in  all  things.     I  recommend 
that  early  care  be  taken  to  instruct  the  youth  while 


CAPTAIN    PAUL    CUFFEE. 


45 


their  minds  are  tender,  that  so  they  may  be  pre- 
.served  from  the  corruptions  of  the  world,  from 
profanity,  intemperance,  and  bad  company. 

.21.  "  May  servants  be  encouraged  to  discharge 
their  duty  with  faithfulness  :  may  they  be  brought 
up  to  industry  :  and  may  their  minds  be  cultivated 
for  the  reception  of  the  good  seed  which  is  prom 
ised  to  all  who  seek  it.  I  want  that  we  should  be 
faithful  in  all  things,  that  so  we  may  become  a 
people  giving  satisfaction  to  those  who  have  borne 
the  burden  and  heat  of  the  day  in  liberating  us 
from  a  state  of  slavery.  r.t 

r  22.  "I  leave  you  in  the  hands  of  him  who  is 
able  to  preserve  you  through  time,  and  crown  you 
with  that  blessing  which  is  prepared  for  all  who 
are  faithful  to  the  end."  This  appears  to  be  the 
simple  expression  of  his  feelings,  and  the  language 
of  his  heart. 

23.  When  you  have  read  this  account  of  your 
brother  Paul   CufTee,  pause  and  reflect.     Do  not 
think  because  you  cannot  be  as  extensively  useful 
as  he  was,  that  you  cannot  do  any  good.     There 
are  very  few  people,  if  any,  in  the  world  who  can 
not  be  useful  in  some  way  or  other.      If  you  have 
health,  you  may,  by  your  industry,  sobriety,  and 
economy,  make  yourselves  and  your  families  com- 
fortadle. 

24.  By  your  honesty  and  good  conduct,  you 
may  set  them  and  your  neighbors  a  good  example. 
If  you  have  aged  parents,  you  may  soothe  and 


46  SOLOMON    BAYLEY. 

comfort  their  declining  years.  If  you  have  chil 
dren,  you  may  instruct  them  in  piety  and  virtue, 
and  in  such  business  as  will  procure  them  a  com 
fortable  subsistence,  and  prepare  them  for  useful 
ness  in  the  world. 


SOLOMON  BAYLEY. 

THE  following  sketch  is  taken  from  the  very  in 
teresting  narrative  of  Solomon  Bayley.  The  fore 
part  was  written  from  an  apprehension  of  duty, 
the  latter  part,  with  those  respecting  his  mother 
and  his  two  daughters,  at  the  request  of  Robert 
Hurnard,  who  became  acquainted  with  the  author 
in  1820,  while  he  resided  at  Wilmington,  Dela 
ware  ;  and  after  his  return  to  England,  he  had  it 
printed.  The  profit  arising  from  the  publication, 
was  designed  to  be  transmitted  to  America,  for  the 
benefit  of  this  aged  couple,  who  then  lived  at 
Camden. 

2.  In  the  narrative  of  his  own  life,  he  says, 
"  The  Lord  tried  to  teach  me  his  fear  when  I  was 
a  little  boy  ;  but  I  delighted  in  vanity  and  foolish 
ness,  and  went  astray ;  but  he  found  out  a  way  to 
overcome  me,  and  to  cause  me  to  desire  his  favor 
and  his  great  help ;  and  although  I  thought  no  one 


SOLOMON    BAYLEY.  47 

could  be  more  unworthy  of  his  favor,  yet  he  did 
look  on  me,  and  pity  me  in  my  great  distress. 

3.  "  I  was   born   a  slave   in  the  state  of  Dela 
ware,  and  was  one  of  those  that  were  carried  out 
of  Delaware  into  the   state   of  Virginia ;  and  the 
laws  of  Delaware  did  say,  that  slaves  carried  out 
of  that  state  should  be  free,  and  I  asserted  my 
right  to  freedom,  for  which  I  was  put  on  board  of 
a  vessel  and  sent  to  Richmond,  where  I  was  put 
in  jail,  and  in  irons,  and  thence  sent  in  a  wagon 
back  into  the  country. 

4.  "  On  the  third  day  after  we  left  Richmond,  in 
the  bitterness  of  my  heart,  I  was  induced  to  say, 
'  I  am  past  all  hope  ;'  but  it  pleased  the  Father  of 
mercy  to  look  upon  me,  and  he   sent  a  strengthen 
ing  thought  into  my  heart — that  he  that  made  the 
heavens  and  the  earth,  was  able  to  deliver  me.     I 
looked  up  to  the   sky,   and  then  on  the  trees  and 
ground,  and  I  believed,  in  a  moment,  that  if  he 
could  make  all  these  he  was  able  to  deliver  me. 

5.  "  Then   did   that   Scripture  come  into  my 
mind,  *  They  that  trust  in  the  Lord  shall  never  be 
confounded/      I  believed  it,  and  got  out   of  the 
wagon  unperceived,    and  went    into   the    bushes. 
There  were  three  wagons  in  company ;  when  they 
missed  me,  they  looked  round  some  time  for  me, 
but  not  finding  me,  they  went  on ;  and  that  night 
I  travelled  through  thunder,  lightning,  and  rain  a 
considerable  distance." 

6.  His  trials  and  difficulties   in  getting  along 


'48  BOLOMON    BAYLEY. 

were  many  and  various ;  but  at  Petersburg!!  he  met 
a  man  from  Jhis  neighborhood,  circumstanced  like 
himself;  they  got  a  small  boat,  went  down  James 
river,  and  landed  on  the  eastern  shore  of  Chesa 
peake  bay,  and;  travelled  to  Hunting  creek,  where 
their  wives  were.  "  But,"  says  he,  "  we  found 
little  or  no  -satisfaction,  for  we  were  hunted  like 
partridges  orf'the  mountains." 

7.  His  pdor  companion,  being  threatened  again 
with  slavery,  in  attempting  to  escape,  was  pursued 
and  killed  ;  on  which  Solomon  makes   the  follow 
ing  remarks :  T"  Now,  reader,  you  have  heard  of 
the  end 'of  my  fellow-sufferer,  but  I  remain  as  yet 
a  monument ;  of  mercy,  thrown  up  and  down  on 
life's    tempestuous    sea ;    sometimes    feeling    an 
earnest  desire  to  go  away  and  be  at  rest ;  but  I 
travail  an,  "inJ>  hopes  of  overcoming   at  my   last 
combat  ;i     L'  r- 

8.  "  Hi  being  thought  best  for  me  to  leave  Vir 
ginia,  I  went  to  Dover  in  Delaware,  the  distance 
of  about  one  hundred  and    twenty   miles."     By 
travelling  in  the  night,  and  laying  by  in  the  day 
lime,  hetat length  reached  that  place,  but  not  with 
out  great  difficulty  by  being  hunted  and  pursued. 

9.  In  /concluding  this  part  of  his  narrative,  he 
says,  "  O^w)xat  pains  God  takes  to  help  his  other 
wise  h elipje^s,. creatures !     0  that  his  kindness  and 
care  werjfompre  considered  and  laid  to  heart!  and 
then  there  would  not  be  that  cause  to  complain 

his  owner,  and  the  ass  his 


SOLOMON    BAYLEY.  49 

master's  crib,  but  Israel  doth  not  know,  my  people 
doth  not  consider ;'  but  they  would  see  that  they 
are  of  more  value  than  many  sparrows ;  and  that 
they  are  not  their  own,  but  bought  with  a  price. 
Now,  unto  the  King  immortal,  invisible,  the  only 
wise  God,  be  glory  and  honor,  dominion  and 
power,  now  and  for  ever.  Amen." 

10.  In  the  second  part  of  his  narrative,  written 
at  the  request  of  R,  H.,  he  proceeds  by  remarking, 
"Seventh    month  24th,  1799,1  got  to  Camden, 
where  my  master  soon  came  from  Virginia  and 
found  me,  though  he  had  not  seen  me  since  he  put 
me  on  board  the  back-country  wagon,  nearly  three 
or  four  hundred  miles  from   Camden.     Upon  first 
sight,  he  asked  me  what  I  was  going  to  do.     I 
said,  *  Now,  master,   I  have  suffered  a  great  deal, 
and  seen  a  great  deal  of  trouble,  I  think  you  might 
let  me  go  for  little  or  nothing.'     He  said,  *  I  won't 
clo  that ;  but  if  you  will  give  me  forty  pounds  bond 
and  good  security,  you  may  be  free.' " 

11.  After  much  conversation  between  them  on 
the  subject  of  his  right  to  freedom,  he  continues, 
41  Finally,  he  sold  my  time  for  eighty  dollars,  and 
I  went  to  work,  and  worked  it  out  in  a  shorter  time 
than  he  gave  me,  and  then  I  was  a  free  man. 
And  when  I  came  to  think  that  the  yoke  was  off 
my  neck,  and  how  it  was  taken  off,  I  was  made  to 
wonder  and  admire,  and  to  adore  the  order  of  kind 
Providence,  which  assisted  me  in  all  my  way." 

12.  Here  he  very  feelingly  recites  the  trials  and 


50  SOLOMON    BAYLEY. 

exercises  of  mind  that  attended  him,  for  not  ad 
hering  to  that  wisdom  and  goodness  of  his  Creator, 
which  had  been  so  marvellously  manifested  for  his 
deliverance,  and  then  proceeds  to  relate  the  cir 
cumstances  respecting  his  wife  and  children.  "  My 
wife  was  born  a  slave,  and  remained  one  until  she 
was  thirty-two  years  of  age ;  when  her  master, 
falling  out  with  her,  purposed  sending  her,  with 
my  eldest  daughter,  about  three  months  old,  into 
the  back  country. 

13.  "  To  go  with  her,  I  knew  not  where,  or  to 
buy  her  at  his  price,  brought  me  to  a  stand ;  but, 
by  the  pleading  of  his  wife  and  little  daughter,  he 
agreed  to  let  me  hare  her  for  one  hundred  and 
thirty-three  dollars  and  a  third,  which  is  thirty-one 
pounds  Virginia  money.     I  paid  what  money  I 
had  saved  since  paying  for  my  own  freedom,  and 
the  rest  as  I  earned  it,  and  she  was  manumitted. 
But  I  had  one  child  in  bondage,  my  only  son,  and 
having  worked   through  the  purchase   of  myself 
and  wife,  I  thought  I  would  give  up  my  son  to  the 
ordering  of  Divine  Providence. 

14.  "So  we  worked  and   rented  land,  and  got 
along   twelve  or   thirteen  years,  when  my  son's 
master  died,  and  his  property  had  to  be  sold,  and 
my  son  among  the  rest,  at  public  sale.     The  back 
woods-men  having  come  over  and  given  such  large 
prices  for  slaves,  it  occasioned  a  great  concern  to 
come  over  my  mind,  and  I  told  it  to  many  of  my 
friends,  and  they  all  encouraged  me  to  buy  him, 


SOLOMON    BAYLEY.  51 

but  I  told  them  I  could  have  no  heart  to  do  it,  bo- 
cause  at  his  master's  death  he  was  appraised  at 
four  hundred  dollars ;  however,  I  went  to  the  sale. 
When  the  crier  said,  '  A  likely  young  negro  fel 
low  for  sale,'  and  then  asked  for  a  bid,  I  said,  *  Two 
hundred  dollars.' 

15.  "As  soon  as  I  made  this  bid,  a  man  that  I 
feared  would  sell  him  to  the  back-woods-men,  bid 
three  hundred  and  thirty-three  dollars,  which  beat 
down  all  my  courage,  but  a  thought  struck  me — 
Don't  give  out  so — and  I  bid  one  shilling,  but  they 
continued  to  bid  until  they  got  him  up  to  three 
hundred  and  sixty  dollars,  and   I  thought  I  could 
do  no  more,  but  those  men  who  had  engaged  to  be 
my  securities,   encouraged  me,   and  some  young 
men  who  were  present,  and  had  their  hearts  touched 
with  a  feeling  for  my  distress,  said,  *  Solomon,  if 
you  will  make  one  more  bid,  we  will  give  you  five 
dollars  apiece ;'  so  I  turned  round  and  said,  '  One 
shilling  ;'  so  he  was  knocked  off  to  me   at  three 
hundred  and  sixty  dollars  and  a  shilling  :  this  was 
in  the  year  1813. 

16.  "  Then  I  believed  that  God  would  work,  and 
none  could  hinder  him,  and  that  a  way  would  be 
made  for  me,  though  I  knew  not  how  ;   and  I  con 
fess  the  eyes  of  my  mind  appeared  to  be  dazzled 
as  I  was  let  into  a  sight  of  the  great  goodness  of 
the  Highest  in  undertaking  for  me  ;  but  I  felt  a  fear 
lest  my  behaviour  should   not  be   suitable  to  the 
kindness  and  favor  shown  toward  me. 


52  SOLOMON    BAYLEY. 

17.  "0  that  all  men   would   study  the  end  oi 
their   creation,    and   act   accordingly !    then   they 
would  walk  in  the  light  of  His  countenance  in 
deed,  and  '  in  his  name  rejoice  all  the  day,  and  in 
his  righteousness  for  ever  be  exalted/ 

c  Then  should  their  sun  in  smiles  decline, 
And  bring  a  peaceful  night }' 

which  may  all  who  read  these  lines,  desire,  and 
seek,  and  obtain,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 
Amen." 

1 8.  In  the  account  of  his  mother,  he  says,  "  She 
was  born  of  a  woman  brought  from  Guinea  about 
the  year  1690,  then  about  eleven  years  old.     She 
was  brought  into  one  of  the  most  barbarous  fami 
lies  ;  and  though  treated  hard,  she  had  many  chil 
dren,  and  lived  to  a  great  age.     My  mother  had 
thirteen  sons  and  daughters,  and  served  the  same 
cruel  family  until  they  died. 

19.  "Then  great  distress  and   dispersion   took 
place.     Our  young  mistress  married,  and  brought 
our  family  out   of  the  state  of  Virginia  into  the 
state  of  Delaware  ;  but  by  their  removing  back  to 
Virginia,  we  were  entitled  to  our  freedom,  and  at 
tempting  to  recover  it  by  law,  we  were  sold  and 
scattered  wide.    My  father  and  two  of  his  children, 
were  taken  unaware,  and  sent  to  the  West  Indies. 
My  mother  was  in  the  house  at  the  time,  but  made 
her  escape,  leaving  a  child  about  eleven  months 
old,  which  some  kind  friend  carrying  to  her,  she 


SOLOMON    BAYLEY.  53 

look,  and  travelling  through  Delaware,  went  Into 
New  Jersey. 

20.  '*  We  were  separated  about  eighteen  years, 
except  that  I  once  visited  her,  and  carried  her 
seventeen  or  eighteen  dollars,  which,  in  ray  cir 
cumstances,  was  a  sacrifice,  but  I  was  favored  to 
find  that  satisfaction  which  I  esteemed  more  than 
time  or  money.  Being  thoughtful  about  my  moth 
er,  I  sent  for  her  to  come  to  the  state  of  Delaware, 
and  when  we  were  brought  together,  it  was  very 
comfortable,  and  we  could  sit  and  tell  of  the  dan 
gers  and  difficulties  we  had  been  brought  through. 
She  lived  to  a  great  age,  and  departed  without 
much  complaint,  like  one  falling  asleep. 

"  An  Account  of  my  eldest  daughter  Margaret,  who 
died  in  the  24th  year  of  her  age. 

"  She  was  a  pleasant  child  in  her  manners  and 
behaviour,  yet  fond  of  gay  dress,  and  new  fashions  ; 
yet  her  mind  was  much  inclined  to  her  book,  and 
to  read  good  lessons  ;  and  it  pleased  the  Father  of 
mercy  to  open  her  understanding  to  see  excellent 
things  out  of  his  law,  and  to  convince  her  that  it 
was  his  will  she  should  be  holy  here,  and  happy 
hereafter ;  but  custom,  habit,  and  shame,  seemed 
to  chain  her  down,  so  that  she  appeared  like  one 
halting  between  two  opinions. 

22.  "  But  about  a  month  before  she  was  taken 
for  death,  she  went  to  a  meeting,  under  a  concern 
5* 


54  SOLOMON    BAYLEV. 

about  her  future  state  ;  and  the  meeting  appeared 
to  be  favored  with  the  outpouring  of  the  spirit  of 
love  and  of  power.  Margaret  came  home  under 
great  concern  of  mind,  and  manifested  a  wonderful 
change  in  her  manners  and  behaviour  :  I  believe 
the  whole  family  were  affected  at  the  sight  of  the 
alteration,  which  indeed  appeared  like  that  of  the 
prodigal  son  coming  home  to  his  father.  For  my 
own  part,  I  felt  fear  and  great  joy — such  was  her 
delight  to  read  the  Bible,  and  ask  the  meaning  of 
certain  texts  of  Scripture,  which  evidenced  a  con 
cern  to  make  sure  work  for  eternity. 

23.  "  In  this  frame  of  mind  she  was  taken  for 
death.     She  appeared  very  desirous  to  live,  for  the 
first  four  weeks  ;  but  was  very  patient,  and  of  a 
sweet  temper  and  disposition  all  the  time.   I  recol 
lect  but  one  instance  when  she  was  known  to  give 
way   to  peevish   fretful  ness  ;  then  I,   feeling  the 
evil  spirit  striving  to  get  the  advantage  of  her,  very 
tenderly  and  earnestly  admonished  her  not  to  re 
gard  trifles,  but  to  look  to  that  Power  which  was 
able  to  save  her ;  and  from  that  time  she  became 
passive  and  resigned. 

24.  "  The  following  two  weeks   her  pain  was 
great,  and  baffled  all  the  force  of  medicine.    A  few 
days  before  her  departure,  she  was  urged  with  much 
brokenness  of  heart  to  make  confession,  when  she 
was  let  into  a  view  of  the  vanity  of  the  world,  with 
all  its  glittering  snares,  and  said  she  could  not  rest 
till  her  hair  was  cut  off;  for  she  said,  '  I  was  per- 


SOLOMON    BAYLEY.  55 

stiaded  to  plait  my  hair  against  my  father's  advice, 
and  I  used  to  tie  up  my  head  when  father  would 
come  to  see  me,  and  hide  ruffles  and  gay  dress 
from  him,  and  now  I  cannot  rest  till  my  hair  is  cut 
off.'  I  said,  '  No,  my  daughter,  let  it  be  till  thee 
gets  well.'  She  answered, '  0,  no ;  cut  it  now.'  So 
I,  to  pacify  her,  took  and  cropped  iL 

25.  "After  this,  she  appeared  filled  with  raptures 
of  joy,  and  talked  of  going,  as  if  death  had  lost  its 
sting.     This  was  about  three  days  before  her  de 
parture  ;  and  she  seemed  to  have  her  senses  as 
long  as  she  could  speak.    A  little  before  her  speech 
left  her,  she  called  us  all,  one  by  one,  held  out  her 
hand,  bade  us  farewell,   and  looked  as  if  she  felt 
that  assurance  and  peace  that  destroy  the  fear  of 
death ;  and  while  she  held  out  her  hands,  she  ear 
nestly  charged  us  to  meet  her  in  heaven.     Thus 
ends  the  account  of  Margaret  Bayley,  daughter  of 
Solomon  and  Thames  Bayley,  who  departed  this 
life   the   26th  of   3d  month,   1821,    aged    nearly 
twenty-four  years. 

26.  "  I  desire  now  .to  give  the  pious  a  brief  ac 
count  of  the  life  and  death  of  my  youngest  daugh 
ter,  Leah  Bayley,  who  departed  this  life  the  27th 
of  7th  month,  1821,  aged  twenty-one  years  and  six 
months.     She,  from  a  child,  was  more  weakly  and 
sickly  than  Her  sister  Margaret,  and  the  thought  of 
leaving  her  here  in  this  ill-natured  world,  caused 
me  many  serious  moments  ;  but  the  great  Parent 
of  all  good,  in  the  greatness  of  his  care,  took  her 


56  SOLOMON    BAYLEY. 

away,   and  relieved  me   of  the  care    of  her   for 
ever. 

27.  "  Weakness  of  body  and  mind  appeared  in 
her  as  she  grew  up,  and  an  inclination  to  vanity 
and  idleness  ;  but  being  bound  out  under  an  indus 
trious  mistress,  to  learn  to  work  and  to  have  school 
ing,  her  mind  soon  became  much  inclined  to  her 
book  and  then  to  business.  Her  school  mistress 
gave  her  a  little  book,  concerning  some  pious 
young  people  that  lived  happily,  and  died  happily, 
and  were  gone  to  heaven  ;  namely, — 

28 .  "  Young  Samuel,  that  little  child, 
Who  served  the  Lord,  lived  undented. 
Like  young  Abijah  I  must  be, 
That  good  things  may  be  found  in  me. 
Young  Timothy,  that  blessed  youth, 
Who  sought  the  Lord,  and  loved  the  truth. 
I  must  not  sin  as  others  do, 
Lest  I  lie  down  in  sorrow  too. 

29.  "  These  blessed  examples  won  her  heart,  so 
as  to  bury  every  other  enjoyment ;  she  seemed  to 
possess  as  great  a  deadness  to  the  world,  as  any 
young  woman  I  ever  observed.  She  seemed  not 
ashamed  to  read  in  any  company,  white  or  colored  ; 
and  she  read  to  the  sick  with  intense  desire,  which 
appeared  from  her  weeping,  and  solid  manner  of 
behaviour.  She  seemed  to  desire  te  walk  in  the 
fear  of  the  Lord  all  the  day  long ;  and  every  body 
that  observed  her,  remarked  her  serious,  steady 
behaviour. 


SOLOMON   BAYLEY.  57 

30.  "  She  seemed  as  if  she  was  trying  to  imitate 
those  good  children  whom  she  read  about ;  and  so 
continued  until  she  was  taken  sick ;  and  though 
her  sickness  was  long  and  sharp,  yet   she  bore  it 
rike  a  lamb.     A  few  days  before  her  decease,  I 
was  noticing  how  hard  she  drew  her  breath;  she 
looked  very  wistful  at  me,  and  said,  '  O  father ! 
how  much  I  do  suffer  !'     I   answered,  *  Yes,  my 
dear,  I  believe  thee  does.' 

31,  "  Then,  after  a  long  pause,  she  said,  '  But  I 
think  I  never  shall  say  I  suffer  too  much.'     This 
I  apprehended  was  extorted  from   a  view  of  the 
sufferings  of  Christ,  and  her  own  imperfections. 
The  day  she  died,  she  called  us  all,  one  by  one, 
and  like  her  sister  Margaret,  held  out  her  hand,  and 
with  much  composure  of  mind,  bade  us  farewell, 
as  if  she  was  only  going  a  short  walk,  and  to  re 
turn." 

Extract  from  a  Letter  from  Solomon  Bayley  to 
John  Reynolds,  Wilmington^  Delaware. 

DEAR  FRIEND, — I  received  thy  very  acceptable 
letter,  and  was  not  a  little  comforted ;  I  was  glad 
to  hear  from  thee  and  thy  dear  family  and  friends. 
I  believe  thou  art  trying  to  be  a  beloved  John  in 
deed,  or  a  son  of  Abraham :  for  they  that  are  of 
faith  are  children  of  Abraham,  and  heirs  according 
to  the  promises,  Gal.  iii.  7.  And  the  Lord  gave  a 
testimony  concerning  him,  saying,  "  I  know  him 


58  SOLOMON    BAYLEY. 

that  he  will  command  his  children  and  his  house 
hold  after  him,"  Gen.  xviii.  19. 

33.  O,  I  pray  that  thou  mayst  continue  to  study 
the  business  of  life,  which  is  to  prepare  for  a  bless 
ed  immortality  and  eternal  life  with  the  Father  and 
the  Son,  according  to  the  Spirit  of  holiness  which 
works  in  us  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good 
pleasure,  and   if  not  resisted,  will  make  us  one  in 
him  in  spirit  and  in  truth.     0  that  we  might  be 
enabled  to  walk  before  the   Lord  unto  all  well- 
pleasing  ! 

34.  I  thank  thee,  dear  brother,  for  mentioning  a 
thought  for  my  temporal  and  spiritual  concerns.    I 
am  daily  at  a  loss  how  to  express  my  thanks  to  the 
great  Giver  of  every  blessing,  who  daily  loads  me 
with  benefits.  I  think  I  am  enabled  by  his  grace  to 
esteem  the  cross  of  Christ  more  than  I  used  to  do ; 
for  I  learn  by  the  cross  I  must  be  crucified  to  the 
world,  and  the  world  unto  me,  Gal  vi.  14. 

35.  But  O,  dear  friend,  I  find  that  knowledge 
puffeth  up  :  but  it  is  charity  alone  that  edifieth,  1 
Cor.  viii.  1.     True  charity  is  not  puffed  up,  1  Cor. 
xiii.  4.   Now  no  man  can  have  true  charity  without 
he  love  God  and  keep  his  commandments,  1  John, 
v.  2,  and  ii.  6 ;  which  is  defined  by  the   blessed 
Jesus  himself  in  these  words  :  As  you  would  that 
men  should  do  to  you,  do  ye  even  so  to  them,  Matt, 
vii.  12. 

36.  0,  if  all  the  world  were  engaged  to  run  after 
this  command,  and  follow  this  best  of  all  rules  !  then 


SOLOMON    BAYLEY*  59 

harmony  and  peace  would  flow  through  the  minds 
of  all  people,  nations,  and  tongues,  at  once ;  then 
righteousness  would  cover  the  earth  as  the  waters 
do  the  great  deep;  then  His  kingdom  would  come, 
and  his  will  begone  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven; 
then  all  would  be  happy,  and  free  from  all  fear 
which  hath  torment — live  happy — die  happy,  and 
all  go  to  heaven  according  to  the  will  of  God  our 
Father,  who  will  have  all  men  to  be  saved  and 
come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  1  Tim.  ii.  4. 

37.  Now  unto  the  King  immortal,  invisible,  to 
the  only  wise  God  our  Saviour,  be  honor  and 
praise  both  now  and  for  ever.  Amen. 

With  good  wishes  to  thee  and  thine,  I  conclude, 
Thy  friend, 

SOLOMON  BAYLEY. 

Vamden,  Del,  7th  month  24tfi,  1825. 

P.  S.  I  will  take  the  liberty  in  another  piece  of 
paper  to  say  something  concerning  Hayti. 

Extract  from  a  letter  from  the  same  to  the  same. 

DEAR  FRIEND, — It  is  in  depth  of  thought,  and 
fear,  and  dread,  I  now  write  unto  thee.  Truly,  I 
have  felt  a  great  concern  for  my  brethren,  my  kins 
men  according  to  the  flesh.  Of  my  mother's  chil 
dren,  four  were  sent  to  the  western  countries  :  my 
father  and  two  children  were  sent  to  the  West  In 
dies,  and  sold  there  to  Abner  Stevens,  after  we  had 


60  SOLOMON    BATLET, 

made  an  attempt  to  recover  our  freedom,  for  being 
moved  out  of  Delaware  into  the  state  of  Virginia, 
after  that  law  had  taken  place  against  removing 
slaves  out  of  one  state  into  another, 

39.  Now  that  was  all  the  cause  why  we  were 
dispersed    one   from   another.     But   what  I  have 
mostly  considered  is,  that  of  all  the  distressed  fam 
ily  that  was  dispersed^  I  was  the  only  one  that  got 
back  and  obtained  freedom.     Now  it  seems  to  mer 
I  was  the  most  unworthy  of  all  the  family :  yet 
there  was  a  mind  in  me  to  study  on  that  miracle- 
working  Power  spoken  of  in  the    Scriptures  of 
Truth-, 

40.  Now  prai&ed  be  the  name  of  Him  that  liveth 
ior  ever  and  ever.     According  to  the  riches  of  his 
grace  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  my  strength  of  faith  in 
him,  he  so  worked  for  me  until  he  brought  me  out 
of  difficulty,  and  delivered  me  from  the  strivings  of 
the  people.     And  although  it  hath  pleased  him  to 
take  all  my  children  away  from  me  by  his  great 
power,  and  has  kept  me  from  falling,  while  some 
on  the  right  hand,  and  ethers  on  the  left,  high  and 
low,  rich  and  poor,  white  and  colored,  have  fallen  ; 
made  shipwreck — broken   up  and  sold — gone    to 
jail — come  out  by  the  poor  actr  I  am  here  a  stand 
ing  monument  of  mercy ;  owe  no  man  any  thing — 
clear  of  all  entanglements,  and  still  rejoicing  in  my 
portion :  which  portion  I  asked  of  the  Lord,  after  I 
had  paid  for  my  wife,  myself,  and  children. 

41.  Now  the  portion  I  asked  was  this — that  1 


SOLOMON    BAYLEY.  61 

might  live  poor  and  plenty,  and  be  kept  clear  from 
all  scrapes.  And  blessed  be  his  great  name,  I  may 
say,  hitherto  he  has  helped  me,  unworthy  as  I  am ; 
unworthy  when  he  first  looked  on  me  to  help  me, 
that  day  I  left  the  back-country  wagons  ;  and  still 
he  doth  his  help  afford  me,  and  encourage  me  to 
trust  in  him — glory  and  honor,  and  praise  and 
thanksgiving,  might,  dominion,  and  power,  be  unto 
Him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne,  and  to  the  Lamb 
for  ever  and  ever. 

42.  And  now  I  come  to  open  myself  concerning 
Hayti :  I  want  to  go  and  see  it — what  it  is— the 
goodness  of  it — and  see  the  new  settlers — and  see 
how  they  do — and  see  their  situation — and  see  if 
they  might  be  encouraged  to  be  contented — and 
return  and  report  to  my  friends  in  this  country  ; 
because  the  minds  of  a  great  many  have  been  af 
fected  by  such  a  general  invitation  made  by  the 
Haytians. 

43.  I  should  be  glad  to  see   Long  Island,*  if  I 
could  get  encouragement  from  Hayti.     I  am  will 
ing  to  work  some,  so  I  can  have  time  to  write  and 
read  some  by  the  way.     Now  when  thou  hast  re 
ceived  these  lines,  please  to  write  me  thy  mind 
touching  my  visit  to  Hayti.     I  don't  want  to  hurry 
myself — get  ready,  and  be  sure  not  to  go  till  I  get 
suitable  papers — recommendations. 

Thy  sincere  friend, 

SOLOMON  BAYLEY, 

•  Probably  meaning  Biciys  Leon* 
6 


62  SOLOMON    BAYLEY. 

Extract  from  a  letter  from  the  same  to  R.  H, 

I  thank  thee,  dear  Robert,  for  spending  a  thought 
on  so  poor  and  unworthy  a  thing  as  I  am ;  but  I 
especially  thank  thy  God  and  my  God,  for  putting 
it  into  thy  heart  to  inquire  any  thing  about  the  work 
of  grace  on  my  mind  I  trust  it  is  with  gratitude  I 
now  write  unto  thee  of  my  call  to  the  ministry : 
and  first  I  may  say, 

"  God  works  in  a  mysterious  way, 
His  wonders  to  perform." 

45.  Secondly,  he   knows  how  to  get   himself 
honor  and  praise  by  the  most  feeble  ;  for  to  under 
take  to  make  such  a  creature  as  I  am  work  in  his 
vineyard,  was  amazing  to  me :  but  there  was  a 
great  work  to  do,  to  make  me  fit  for  any  thing  at 
all.    Surely  he  called  me  oftener  than  he  did  Sam 
uel,  when  he  was  a  child. 

46.  But  after  I  was  savingly  converted  to  God, 
he  was  pleased  to  pour  into  my  heart  a  measure  of 
his  universal  love  ;  and  when  my  heart  was  filled 
with  love  toward  God,  and  good  will  to  all  man 
kind,  then  a  longing  desire  that  all  people  might 
taste  and  see  the  riches  of  his  grace,  continued 
with  me  day  and  night :  then  a  strong  impression 
to  go  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord  and  speak  to  men  of 
all  descriptions,  seemed  to  be  required  of  me. 


SOLOMON    BAYLEY.  63 

47.  But   O !  dear  friend  !   after  my  mind  was 
thus  prepared,  I  had  a  great  warfare  and  strife  ; 
first  with  man  fear,  and  a  man-pleasing  spirit ;  then, 
with  shame,  and  desire  of  praise  and  a  good  name. 
Now,  dear  friend,  in  this  exercise  of  mind,  there 
were  some  scriptures  came  into  my  mind,  to  en 
courage  and  strengthen  me ;  such  as,  2  Cor.  xii. 
9 ;  2  Kings  v.  4 ;  [enumerating  many  of  this  de 
scription.]     All  these  scriptures  mightily  helped  to 
encourage  me  to  go  forward  in  speaking  to  a  dying 
people  the  words  of  eternal  life. 

48.  O  I  what  an  affecting  view  of  the  worth  of 
souls  came  into  my  mind  !  and  I  thought  if  I  could 
be  made  instrumental  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord  in 
saving  one  soul,  it  would  be  matter  of  rejoicing  to 
all  eternity.     So  I  went  on,  trusting  in  the  Lord  ; 
but  I  should  soon  have  fainted  in  mind,  if  it  had 
not  been  for  the  encouragement  I  met  with,  both 
from  God  and  man.     Now  to  him  that  sits  upon 
the  throne,   be  honor  and  praise,  world   without 
end.     Amen. 

With  good  wishes  to  thee  and  thine,  I  conclude, 
Thy  friend, 

SOLOMON  BAYLEY. 
Third  month,  26th,  182L 


64  SOLOMON    BAYLEY. 

..-I    "££$&•  '     '   -*»Ki    «4i. 

The  following  additional  information  respecting  Solomon  Bayley, 
was  received  from  Daniel  Cooledge,  of  New  York,  in  the  sum 
iner  of  1836. 

Solomon  Bayley,  when  in  this  city  some  years 
ago,  was  frequently  at  my  house,  taking  his  meals, 
&c, ;  and  we  were  instructed  by  his  Christian  de 
meanor,  for  he  seemed  to  do  every  thing  with 
reference  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  for  the  promo 
tion  of  his  righteous  cause  in  the  earth, — being 

••  11*1* 

also  very  cleanly  in  his  person. 

60.  When  he  removed  from  Hayti  to  Monrovia, 
in  Africa,  he  had  buried  all  his  children,  and  most 
of  them  after  they  had  arrived  at  the  age  of  men 
and  women  ;  and  just  before  leaving  Monrovia  on 
a  tour  to  America,  his  wife  died  also,  and  he  was 
left  alone. 

51.  When  he  first  arrived  at  Monrovia,  he  took 
up  a  lot  of  ground  of  seven  acres,  which  emigrants 
are  entitled  to,  and  cleared  and  cultivated  it  for 
his  support,  and  built  a  house  immediately  on  the 
margin  of  a  river.     He  however  left  a  large  spread 
ing  tree,  whose   branches  hung  over  the  water. 
Under  this  tree  he  built  a  platform,  where  he  sits 
to  read  and  meditate  in  the  middle   of  the  day, 
during  the  hot  season  of  the  year, — working  in  the 
cool  of  the  morning  and  evening. 

52.  After  his  return  from  America,  he  married  a 
second  wife,  said  to  be  a  very  suitable  person. 


SOLOMON    BAYLEY.  65 

He  has  a  society  that  he  preaches  to,  and  he  is 
also  looked  up  to  as  a  father  and  counsellor  by  the 
people  generally.  Although  he  is  aged,  he  seems 
to  retain  much  of  the  strength  and  vigor  of  youth. 

53.  The  last  accounts  from  him  say,  that  he 
was  very  diligent  and  faithful  in  his  calling, — la 
boring  not  only  for  the  souls  of  his  brethren,  but 
for  their  bodies  also — by  setting  them  the  best  ex 
ample  he  was  capable  of,  in  cultivating  his  land  to 
the  best  advantage,  and  by  improving  his  plans,  to 
show  the  natives,  as  well  as  the  emigrants,  the 
usefulness  and  comforts  of  civilized  life. 

54.  He  seemed,  when  here,  to  feel  quite  as  live 
ly  an  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  natives,  as  in 
that  of  the  emigrants,  saying,  "  They  come  a  long 
distance  to  learn  the  manners  and  customs  of  the 
emigrants,   and  take    great    delight   in    imitating 
them."     When   in  this    city,    he    often    attended 
Friends'  meetings,   and  on  hearing  one  of  their 
ministers  preach  from  this  text,  "  That  which  is 
wanting  cannot  be  numbered,"  the  tears  ran  down 
his  aged  face  like  water. 

6* 


66  SOLOMON    BAYLEY. 

.    .of   ?'iH  ;i>v;- ?"!*:i  S£>& 


SOLOMON  BAYLEY'S  NIGHT  THOUGHTS  ; 


Or,  a  short  sermon  on  Romans,  8th  chapter,  last  part  of  9th  verse,  "  If  anj 
man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his," 


Now  may  the  Lord  bless  all  into  whose  hands 
tliis  may  come.  And  that  he  may  bless  every  one 
that  reads,  and  all  who  hear,  and  that  they  may 
have  him  as  a  satisfying  portion,  in  time  and  in 
eternity;  through  the  power  and  merits  of  the 
same  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 

56.  And  every  one  that  has  the  Spirit  of  Christ, 
lias  a  title  to  heaven.     Wherefore,  dearly  beloved 
and  dear-bought  souls,  let   that  mind  be  in  .you 
which  was  in  Christ  Jesus,  which  was  a  meek  and 
lowly  mind — a  pitiful  and  loving  mind — a  forgiv 
ing    mind — a    constant    mind.     Now,  where    the 
Spirit  of  Christ  reigns  in  any  man,  it  makes  him 
a  Christian.     Then  he  is  not  proud  and  lifted  up  ; 
he  will  speak  the  truth ;  he  will  do  as  he  would  be 
done  by ;    and  that  not  for  praise,  but  for  con 
science'  sake. 

57.  Now  no  man  can  love  the  truth,  except  he 
is  born  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ — then  he  has  the 
mind  of  Christ :  which  meek  and  quiet  spirit,  is, 
in  the  sight  of  God,  of  great  price.     And  to  con 
tinue  this  discourse  by  way  of  improvement,  say, 
1st,  Knowledge  is  not  religion — to  join  one  per 
suasion  is  not  religion — or  to  join  all  names — that 


SOLOMON    BAYLEY.  67 

is  not  religion.  "  Well,"  say  you,  "  what  is  reli 
gion  ?"  I  answer,  Religion  is  to  have  the  love  of 
God  shed  abroad  in  the  heart ;  which  is  always 
found  in  true  repentance.  Now  there  can  be  no 
true  repentance,  except  a  man  forsake  all  known 
sin. 

58.  If  the  reader  would  ask,  "  What  is  repent 
ance  ?" — it  is  a  godly  sorrow  for  sins  past ;  and 
where  this  godly  sorrow  is  felt  in  any  one,  it  de 
stroys  the  love  of  sin.     Now  no  man   can  ever 
hate  sin,  until  he  well  considers,  and  feels  what 
was  the  consequence  of  sin   at  first,   what  is  the 
consequence   of  sin  at  present,   and  what  will  be 
the  consequence  of  sin  hereafter.      Now  if  any 
one  would  ask,  "  What  is  sin  ?"  I  would  answer, 
Sin  is  the  transgression  of  the  law.     For  all  the 
law  is  fulfilled  in  one  word,   even  in  this,  "  Thou 
shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself,"  Gal.  v.  14. 

59.  Now  consider  well,  and  keep  your  eye  on 
the  text,  "  If  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ, 
he  is  none  of  his."     I  believe  it  is  the  will  of  our 
heavenly  Father  that  all  his  children  should  love 
him  above  all ;  and  then  that  love  of  God  in  them 
would  make  them  love  one  another ;  and  then  they 
would    have   no  disposition  to  fight  at  home   or 
abroad.     But  there  is  no  killing  and  overcoming  a 
fighting  spirit,  while   men  gratify  their  pride,  the 
pride  of  life,  instead  of  mortifying  the  deeds  of  the 
body. 

60.  I  believe  the  Lord  is  effecting  a  great  work 


68  SOLOMON    BAYLEY. 

with  the  temperance  societies ;  in  order  that  right 
eousness  may  cover  the  earth,  as  the  waters  do 
the  great  deep.  But  if  man  will  be  proud,  then 
he  cannot  bear  the  cross.  So  then  it  appears  that 
pride  is  the  cause  of  all  the  evil  done  under  the 
sun.  So  I  have  considered  all  fighting  Christians 
under  the  power  of  delusion ;  though  it  is  a  pop 
ular  delusion,  it  can  never  stand  the  test,  accord 
ing  to  the  text,  "  For  if  any  man  have  not  the 
Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his." 

61.  Now  the   Spirit  of  Christ  is  clearly  exem 
plified  in  his  meek,  and  lowly,  and  patient  suffer 
ing  ;  and  he  did  this  to  show  all  people  the  way 
to  heaven,  but  pride  prompts  people  to  say,  "  No, 
I  will  seek  some  other  way."     Now  there  are  a 
great  many,  here  in  Liberia,  that  have  joined  the 
temperance  society,  but    they   have    missed    the 
mark,  for  nearly  all  believe  they  can  still  fight  and 
get  to  heaven,  as  well  as   those  who  follow  peace 
with  all  men,  and  holiness. 

62.  Now  this  would  be  a  safe  conclusion  for  all 
to  come  to  : — Say,  if  any  man  follow  Christ  Jesus 
the  Lord,  in  the  way  of  his  requirings,  he  would 
make  way  for  him,  and  cast  up  a  way  for  him  to 
walk  in  here,  as  long  as  he  in  his  wisdom  thought 
good  ;  and  then  he  would  take  him  to  himself  in 
heaven.     "  Fear  not  them    that  kill  the  body  ;M 
but  fear  God,  and  him  only.     Amen. 


SOLOMON  BAYLEY.  69 


SERMON  SECOND. 

'For  all  the  law  is  fulfilled  in  one  word,  even  this,  Thou  shalt  love  thy 
neighbor  as  thyself."— Gal.  v.  14. 

Now  I  mentioned  in  my  former  discourse,  that 
it  is  the  will  of  our  heavenly  Father,  that  all  his 
children  should  love  him ;  and  then  they  would 
love  one  another ;  and  then  they  would  be  fit  to 
live,  and  fit  to  die ;  then  that  love  would  destroy 
the  fighting  spirit,  and  it  would  prepare  all  people 
to  live  with  God  in  heaven  ;  "  who  will  have  all 
men  to  be  saved,  and  to  come  unto  the  knowledge 
of  the  truth,"  1  Tim.  ii.  4,  6  ;  "  who  gave  himself 
a  ransom  for  all,  to  be  testified  in  due  time."  0  ! 
that  the  Lord  may  undeceive  every  deceived  soul, 
for  Jesus  Christ's  sake  ! 

64.  Now  while  pride  remains  in   any  people, 
passion  will  have  the  uppermost  hand  of   their 
judgment;  therefore  it  is  absolutely  necessary  that 
all  men  love  God,  and  that  with  all  the  heart,  soul, 
mind,  and  strength,  and  their  neighbor  as  them 
selves  ;  for  on  these  two  commandments  hang  all 
the  law  and  the  prophets. 

65.  Reader,  believe  me,  this  love  of  God  is  a 
consuming  fire — it  consumes  and  burns  up  all  the 
dross  and  tin  of  base  desire,  and   sets  the  man  at 
war  with  sin,  and  against  all  evil :  then  he  begins 

o  study  the  art  of  holy  living;  then   he   sees  he 


70  SOLOMON    BAY LEY. 

must  deny  self,  take  up  his  daily  cross  and  follow 
Christ,  or  else  he  cannot  get  to  heaven,  where 
Christ  sitleth,  at  the  right  hand  of  God. 

66.  Now  the  Almighty  God  is  trying  to  bring  in 
everlasting  righteousness,   and  to  make  an  end  of 
sin,  according  to  Daniel  ix.  24.     But  it  cannot  be 
while  Christians  fight.     O  !  how  long,  how  long, 
will  fighting   Christians  continue    to  build   their 
tower  on  high — that  is  to  say,  to  pray  good  prayers, 
and  preach  good  doctrine,  and  yet  fight  one  another, 
and  say  "  they  have   Christ  formed  in  them,  the 
hope  of  glory !" 

67.  Now  it  seems  these  are  willing  to  have 
Christ  and  heaven,  but  not  in  that  inoffensive  way 
that  Christ  set  us  an  example ;  for  he  submitted 
himself,  and  became   obedient  unto  death  ;  there 
fore  God  also  hath  highly  exalted  him,  and  hath 
given  him  a  name  which  is  above  every  name  ; 
that  at  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should  bow, 
and  every  tongue  should  confess  that  Jesus  Christ 
is  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father,  Phil.  ii. 

68.  And  to    conclude — may   God,  for   Christ's 
sake,  grant  unto  all  that  own  his  name,  power  to 
trust  in  him  ;  that  Christ  may  dwell  in  your  hearts, 
by  faith;  that  you,  being  rooted  and  grounded  in 
love,  may  be  able  to  comprehend,  with  all  saints, 
what  is  the  breadth  and  length,  and  depth  and 
height,  and  to  know  the  love  of  God  that  passeth 
knowledge — that  you  might  be  filled  with  all  the 
fulness  of  God;  then  his  kingdom   would  come, 


SOLOMON    BAYLEY.  71 

and  his  will  be  done,  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven, 
Into  which  blessed  state  may  he  bring  all,  and 
every  one,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  Amen. 
Farewell.  SOLOMON  BAYLEY. 

P.  S.  With  my  own  hand,  &c.,  I  write.  The 
grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  our  spirits 
now  and  for  evermore. 

Caldwell,  Africa,  1th  month  27,  1836. 

New  York,  llth  month  9th,  1836. 

The  two  preceding  discourses  were  recently  sent  me  by  our  friend 
Solomon  Bayley,  by  the  hand  of  John  Seys,  who  is  a  Methodist 
missionary  at  Monrovia,  Liberia,  Africa,  and  lately  returned.  Solo 
mon  says  he  wishes  all  those  who  have  read  his  Journal  may 
have  these  discourses,  as  his  last  will  and  testament  to  them. 

D.  a 

Copy  of  a  Letter  from  Solomon  Bayley  to  Daniel 

Cooledge,  New  York. 

DEAR  FRIENDS  AND  FRIENDLY  PEOPLE, — Youf 
kindness  come  safe  to  hand  : — say,  a  bundle  of 
books  in  paper,  and  a  box  of  books  and  nails  ;  a 
little  box  in  a  big  box,  with  some  pins,  and  needles, 
and  thread  ;  two  caps,  [for  his  wife,]  one  shirt,  two 
handkerchiefs,  and  one  dollar.  I  found  three  let 
ters  in  the  bundles,  and  was  not  a  little  comforted  ; 
for  when  I  consider  the  distance,  arid  little  acquaint 
ance  I  had  had  with  my  New  York  friends,  I 
thought,  surely  it  was  the  good  Shepherd  that  put 
it  into  your  hearts  to  send  me  a  blessing;  then  I 
said,  Surely  his  mercy  endureth  for  ever. 


72  SOLOMON    BAYLEY. 

70.  Surely  I  desire  to  thank  him  for  this  late 
token  of  his  mercy  and  goodness  to  me  :  and  I  here 
send  my  thanks  to  every  one  of  you  that  has  re 
membered  me  for  good ;  and  I  pray  that  the  good 
Shepherd  may  remember  your  good,  and  feed  you 
with  food  convenient  for  you  always.  Amen.    And 
now,  dear  friends,  I  might  tell  you  what  made  me 
so  glad  to  receive  your  blessings, — here  has  been 
almost  a  famine  this  year. 

71.  Now  none  but  the  Searcher  of  hearts  can 
tell  how  I  felt.     Now  there  was  a  cause  why  this 
distress   happened ;   which  was  this  war    in   the 
country  round  about  us,   among  the  natives.     So 
they  confused  their  own  planting,  and  did  not  make 
bread.    Then  our  neighboring  tribes  that  wished  to 
be  protected  by  us,  came  buying  bread,  and  we  had 
not  got  rice  out  of  the  country  because  of  the  war. 

72.  We  had  to  live  mostly  on  cassada  and  pota 
toes.     So  we  were  deceived,  not  getting  rice  as 
usual  to  make  our  bread  stuff  hold  out.     We  were 
stripped  so  near,  fear  broke  in  upon  us  on  every 
side ;   but  there  was  too  much  cause  to  fear,  be 
cause  the  Lord  had  spoken,  that  if  a  house  or  a 
kingdom  be  divided  against  itself,  it  is  brought  to 
desolation ;  and  it  is  sorrowful  to  say,  we  were  too 
much  divided  both  in  church  and  political  affairs. 
O  !  when  will  the  professors  of  religion  cease  to 
behave  unseemly  ! 

73.  Now  may  the  Lord  bless  S W 

and  all  his>  and  may  he  give  him  skill  and  under- 


SOLOMON    BAYLEY.  73 

standing,  that  he  may  know  how  to  sow  his  seed 
in  the  morning,  and  in  the  evening  hold  not  back 
and  grant  him  a  plentiful  harvest  at  the  resurrec 
tion  of  the  just. 

74.  Now  it  come  into  my  mind  expressly,  after 
my  friend  John  Seys  left,  that  I  ought  to  have 
mentioned  in  that  letter  of  mine,  how  long  it  had 
been  since  that  impression  rose  in  my  mind  ;*  and 
here  you  see  that  in  the  26th  year  of  my  age,  I  was 
favored  to  find  repentance  for  sins  past ;  then  an 
inquiry  rose  which  was  the  sure  way  to  heaven  ; 
then  to  follow  Chris*  appeared  to  be  the  only  sure 
way  ;  that  has  been  about  forty-three  years  ago. 

75.  Now  in  love  to  thee  and  thy  dear  family, 
and  all  the  dear  friends  that  ask  after  me,  I  con 
clude,  thy  friend,  SOLOMON  BAYLEY. 

Caldwell,  Africa,  9th  month  22d,  1836. 

The  following,  of  the  same  date,  was  addressed 
to 

I  received  thy  letter,  thy  few  lines,  dated  6th 
month,  1836;  and  O!  how  the  goodness  of  God 
did  come  before  me  !  Thee  mentioned  a  few  trifles 
sent  me ;  then  I  remembered  the  two  mites  of  the 
poor  widow,  which  she  cast  into  the  treasury,  which, 
in  the  judgment  of  Truth,  was  esteemed  more  than 
all  the  rest — not  in  bulk,  but  sincerity. 

*  The  impression  of  the  inconsistency  of  war,  as  set  forth  in  his 
sermons. 

7 


74  CLARINDA 

76.  O !  what  a  great  step  toward  heaven,  to  act 
with  a  pure  intention !  So  I  think  I  may  here  sa 
lute  thee  as  the  angel  did  the  Virgin  Mary,  and 
say,  "  Hail,  thou  that  art  highly  favored,  the  Lord 
is  with  thee."  And  I  pray  that  he  may  abide  with 
thee  for  ever,  and  that  he  may  guide  thee  by  hia 
counsel,  and  afterward  receive  thee  to  glory. 

And  here  I  subscribe  myself  thy  lasting  friend, 
and  well-wisher  every  way. 

SOLOMON  BAYLEY. 

On  St.  Paul's  river,  near  Monrovia. 


CLARINDA, 

A  PIOUS    COLORED  WOMAN  OF  SOUTH  CAROLINA,  WHO  DIED  AT 
THE  AGE  OP  1O2  YEARS. 

THE  subject  of  this  memoir  was  brought  up  in  a 
state  of  ignorance  unworthy  of  a  Christian  country ; 
and  following  the  propensities  of  a  corrupt  heart, 
she  was,  by  her  own  confession,  "  sold  under  sin," 
and  involved  in  almost  every  species  of  iniquity. 
And  for  the  furtherance  of  her  wicked  designs,  she 
learned  to  play  on  the  violin,  and  usually,  on  the 
first  day  of  the  week,  sallied  forth  with  her  instru 
ment,  in  order  to  draw  persons  of  both  sexes  to 
gether,  who,  not  having  the  fear  of  God  before 
their  eyes,  delighted,  like  herself,  in  sinful  and 


CLARINDA.  75 

pernicious  amusements,  which  keep  the  soul  from 
God,  and  the  heart  from  repentance. 

2.  But  even  on  these  occasions  she  found  it  diffi 
cult  to  struggle  against  the  Spirit  of  the  Most  High."' 
Often  was  it  sounded  in  her  conscience,  "  Clarinda, 
God  ought  not  to  be  slighted — God  ought  not  to 
be  forgotten :"  but   these   monitions  were  treated 
with  derision,  and  in  the  hardness  of  her  heart  she 
would   exclaim,  "  Go,   you   fool,  I   do  not  know 
God — go,  I  do  not  wish  to  know  him." 

3.  On  one  occasion,  while  on  her  way  to  a  dance, 
these  blasphemous  thoughts,  in  answer  to  the  mo 
nitions  of  conscience,  were  passing   through  her 
mind,  and  in  this  frame  she  reached  the  place  of 
appointment,    and    mingled    in   the    gay    throng. 
While  participating  in  the  dance,  she  was  seized 
with  fits,  and  convulsively  fell  to  the  ground.  From 
that  moment,  she  lost  her  love  of  dancing,  and  no 
more  engaged  in  this  vain  amusement. 

4.  She  did  not,  however,  forsake  the  evil  of  her 
ways,  but   continued  her   course  of   wickedness. 
Thus  she  went  on  for  about  twenty  years,  when 
she  lost  her  only  child,  and  was  confined  for  sev 
eral  months  by  severe  illness.     During  this  period 
of  bodily  suffering,  her  mind  was  brought  under 
awful  convictions  for  sin :  she  perceived  that  the 
great  Jehovah  is    a  sin-hating    and  sin-avenging 
God,  and  that  he  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty. 

5.  She  remained  in   a  distressed  state  of  mind 
for  about  three  months,  and  when  a  little  bodily 


76  CLARINDA. 

strength  was  restored,  she  sought  solitary  places, 
where  she  poured  out  her  soul  unto  the  Lord,  and 
in  his  own  good  time  he  spoke  peace  to  hei 
wounded  spirit.  One  day,  being  thus  engaged  in 
earnest  prayer,  and  looking  unto  the  Lord  for  de 
liverance,  the  evening  approached  unregarded,  her 
soul  was  deeply  humbled,  and  the  night  passed  in 
prayer,  while  rivers  of  tears  (to  use  her  own  ex 
pressive  language)  ran  down  her  cheeks,  and  she 
ceased  not  to  implore  mercy  from  him  who  is  able 
to  bind  up  the  broken-hearted. 

6.  While   thus  engaged,  and  all  this  time  igno 
rant  of  her  Saviour,  something  whispered  to  her 
mind,  "  Ask  in  the  name  of  Christ."    She  queried, 
"  Who  is  Christ  ?"  and  in  reply,  these  passages  of 
Scripture  seemed  repeated  to  her :  "  Let  not  your 
heart  be  troubled  ;  ye  believe  in  God,  believe  also 
in   me."     "  In"  my  Father's  house  are  many  man 
sions  :  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you,  that  where 
I  am  there  ye  may  be  also."     "  I  am  the  way,  the 
truth,  and  the  life  ;  no  man  cometh  unto  the  Father 
but  by  me." 

7.  Being  desirous  to  know  whence  these  im 
pressions  proceeded,  she  was  made  to  believe  that 
they  were  received  through  the  influence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.     This  remarkable  passage  was  also 
presented  to  her  mind  :  "  Therefore,  being  justified 
by  faith,  we  have  peace  with   God  through  our 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ." 

8.  She  was  likewise  reminded  of  several  dreams 


CLARINDA.  77 

she  had  formerly  had  ;  in  one  of  which  a  person 
appeared  to  her  and  led  her  to  a  place  into  which 
she  was  permitted  to  look,  where  she  saw  the 
spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,  but  was  informed 
she  could  not  enter  therein.  He  then  gave  her  a 
vial  and  a  candle,  telling  her  to  keep  the  vial  clean, 
and  the  candle  burning  till  he  came.  She  now  saw 
that  the  vial  was  her  heart,  and  the  candle  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord. 

9.  In  narrating  this  circumstance  to  a  friend,  she 
enlarged  instructively  on  the  necessity  of  keeping 
the  heart,  since  out  of  it  are  the  issues  of  life;  adding, 
"  The  eye  sees  and  the  heart  lusts  after  the  pleas 
ures  and  possessions  of  this  world ;  but  the  cross 
of  self-denial  must  be  borne — no  outside  religion 
will  do."   She  now  felt  the  love  of  God  shed  abroad 
in  her  heart ;  the  overwhelming  burden  of  sin  was 
removed,  and  she  received  ability  to  sing  praises 
to  the  Lord  on  the  banks  of  deliverance. 

10.  Having  been  thus  permitted  to   see  the  de 
sire  of  her  soul,  she  was  anxious  to  learn  more  of 
the    divine   will,  and  inquired,  like   the    apostle, 
"  Lord !  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  ?"  and  like 
him  she  was  commanded  to  be  a  witness  of  what 
she  had  seen   and  heard.     Believing   she  had  a 
commission  given  her  to  preach  the  gospel,  she 
began  to  warn  the  sinful  and  licentious,  that  they 
must  crucify  the  man  of  sin,  or  for  ever  forego  the 
hope  of  salvation. 

11.  This  raised  her  a  host  of  enemies,  both 

7* 


78  CLARINDA. 

white  and  colored  ;  and  she  underwent,  many  years, 
cruelty  and  persecution  which  could  hardly  obtain 
credence.  She  bore  about  on  her  body  the  visible 
marks  of  her  faithful  allegiance  to  the  Lord  Jesus  ; 
yet,  while  alluding  to  this,  tears  filled  her  eyes,  and 
she  said  with  emotion,  "  I  am  thankful  that  I 
have  been  found  worthy  to  suffer  for  my  blessed 
Saviour." 

12.  Although  living  in  great  poverty,  and  sub 
sisting  at  times  on  casual  charity,  with  health  im 
paired  by  the  sufferings   through  which   she  had 
passed,  yet  neither  promises  of  protection,  accom 
panied  with  the  offer  of  the  good  things   of  this 
life,  on  the  one  hand,  nor  the  dreadful  persecution 
she  endured  on  the  other,  could  make  her  relin 
quish  the  office  of  a'minister  of  the  gospel. 

13.  This- office  she  continued  to  exercise,  hold 
ing  meetings  regularly  on  the  first  day  of  the  week, 
at  her  own  little  habitation,  where  a  greater  num 
ber  at  times  assembled  than  could  be  accommo 
dated  in  the  house.     It  may  be  interesting  to  add 
some  particulars  relative'  to  the  trial  of  her  faith 
and  the  persecution  she  suffered. 

14.  One  individual  in  whose  neighborhood  she 
lived,  who  was  much  annoyed  by  hearing  her  sing 
and  pray,  offered,  if  she  would  desist,  to  provide 
her  with  a  home  and  the  comforts  of  life  ;  but  she 
replied,  she  had  received  a  commission  to  preach 
the  gospel,  and  she  would  preach  it  as  long  as  she 
had    breath.     Several  ill-intentioned  persons  one 


CLAHINDA.  79 

night  surrounded  her  house,  and  commanded  her 
lo  come  out  to  them.  This  she  refused  to  do. 
After  threatening  her  for  some  time,  they  forced 
open  the  door,  and  having  seized  their  victim,  they 
beat  her  cruelly,  so  that  her  head  was  deeply  in 
dented  with  the  blows  she  received. 

1 5.  At  another  time  she  was  so  much  injured 
that  she  was  left  nearly  lifeless  on  the  open  road, 
whither  she  had  fled  to  escape  from  them  ;  but  her 
unsuccessful  efforts  increased  the  rage  of  her  pur 
suers,  and  after  treating  her  with  the  utmost  bar 
barity,  they  left  her.     She  was  found  after  some 
time,  but  so  exhausted  by  the  loss  of  blood,  that 
she  was  unable  to  walk ;  and  from  the  effects  of 
that  cruelty  she  did  not  recover  for  years.     But  it 
may  be  said  of  her,  that  she  joyfully  bore  persecu 
tion  for  Christ's  sake. 

16.  A  man  who  lived  in  the  same  village,  being 
much  incensed  at  the  undaunted  manner  in  which 
she  stood  forth  as  a  minister  of  the  meek  and  cru 
cified  Saviour,  swore  that  he  would  beat  her  se 
verely  if  ever  he  found  an  opportunity.    One  even 
ing,  as  she  was  walking  home  on  a  solitary  road, 
she  saw  this  person  riding  toward  her.     She  knew 
his  intentions,  and  from  his  character  she'  did  not 
doubt  that  he  would  execute  them. 

17.  She  trembled  from   head  to  foot;  escape 
seemed  impracticable,  and  prayer  was  her  only 
refuge.     As  he  advanced,  she  observed  that  his 
handkerchief  fell  and  was  wafted  by  the  wind  to  t 


80  CLARINDA. 

little  distance.  She  picked  it  up — he  stopped  hi* 
horse,  and  she  handed  it  to  him  in  a  submissive 
manner ;  he  looked  at  her  fiercely  for  a  moment, 
when  his  countenance  softened ;  he  took  it,  say 
ing,  "  Well,  Clarinda,"  and  passed  on. 

18.  She  was  not  able   to  read  a  word  till  her 
66th  year ;  but  she  was  in  the  practice  of  getting 
persons  to  read  the  Holy  Scriptures  for  her  ;  much 
of  which  she  retained  in  her  memory  with  remark 
able  accuracy.     By  dint  of  application,  she  was  at 
length  able   to  read  them  herself;  and  those  who 
visited  her  in  advanced  life,  found  her  knowledge 
of  the  Scriptures,  as  well  as  her  growth  in  grace, 
very  surprising. 

19.  When   she  was  one  hundred  years  old,  and 
very  feeble,  she  would,  if  able  to  get  out  of  bed,  on 
the  morning  of  the  first  day  of  the  week,  discharge 
what  she  thought  to  be  her  duty,  by  conversing 
with  and  exhorting  both   the  white    and    colored 
people  who  came  to  her  house  ;  often  standing  for 
half  an  hour  at  a  time.  Her  zeal  was  indeed  great, 
and  her  faith  steadfast. 

20.  She  said  she  often  wished  she  could  write, 
that  she  might  in  this  way  also  express  her  anxiety 
for  the  good  of  souls.     Then  she  would  have  de 
scribed  more  of  the  exercises  of  her  mind  upon  the 
depravity  of  man  by  nature  and  by  practice,  with 
the  unbounded  and  redeeming  love  and  mercy  of 
God  through  Jesus  Christ. 

21.  The  person  who  gives  the  account  of 


CLARINDA,  81 

da's  death,  says,  "  I  was  prevented  from  seeing  her 
often  in  her  last  moments  ;  when  I  did  she  was 
always  the  same — her  one  theme  the  love  of  God 
to  poor  sinners,  which  was  .always  her  style  of 
speaking.  One  day,  as  I  sat  by  her  bedside,  she 
said  to  me,  'Do  you  think  I  am  a  Christian?' 
*  Yes,'  I  answered,  '  I  do  believe  you  are  a  Chris 
tian.'  '  I  have  tried  to  be,'  she  replied,  '  but  now 
that  I  suffer  in  my  body,  when  I  think  what  an  un 
profitable  servant  I  have  been,  I  am  distressed.' 
She  then  wept.  *  You  know,'  I  said,  *  it  is  not  how 
much  we  can  do,  but  what  we  do  sincerely  for  the 
love  of  Christ,  that  is  acceptable.'  She  seemed 
comforted,  and  talked  as  usual. 

22.  "  She  showed  me  much  affection  when  I  left 

her,  saying,  *  I  shall  not  live  long,  my  dear / 

and,  adding  a  few  other  words,  blessed  me,  and  bid 
me   pray  for  her.     She  had  frequently  expressed 
her  fears  of  the  bodily  sufferings  of  death,  but  not 
accompanied  with  a  dread  of  eternal  death.    I  ask 
ed  her,  when  she  was  ill,  if  she  now  feared  to  die. 
She  said,  '  No ;  this  fear  was  taken  away  some 
time  previous  to  my  illness.' " 

23.  She  requested  that  her  people,  as  she  called 
them,  might  continue  to  meet  at  her  house ;  but 
this  was  not  allowed.     I  am  told  they  sometimes 
meet  elsewhere,  and  are  called  "  Clarinda's  Peo 
ple."    When  dying,  she  told  those  near  her,  to  fol 
low  her  only  as  she  had  followed  Christ.     Her 
death  occurred  in  1832.     "Those  that  be  planted 


82  NAIMBANNA. 

in  the  house  of  the  Lord  shall  flourish  in  the  courts 
of  our  God.  They  shall  bring  forth  fruit  in  old 
age." 

24.  While  perusing  this  remarkable  account  of 
"  a  brand  plucked  from  the  burning,"  let  those  who 
from  their  earliest  years  have  enjoyed  the  inesti 
mable  privilege  of  access  to  the  sacred  volume,  and 
various  other  religious  means,  seriously  consider 
the  blessed  Saviour's  words — "  To  whom  much  is 
given,  of  him  shall  much  be  required." 


NAIMBANNA. 

WHEN  the  Sierra  Leone  Company  was  first  set 
tled,  they  endeavored  to  bring  over  to  their  friend 
ship,  all  the  petty  African  princes  in  their  neigh 
borhood.  Among  others,  they  applied  to  a  chief  of 
the  name  of  Naimbanna,  who  was  remarkable  for 
a  good  disposition,  and  an  acute  understanding. 
He  easily  saw  that  the  intention  of  the  company 
was  friendly  to  Africa,  and  entered  into  amity  with 
them. 

2.  They  spoke  to  him  about  the  slave  trade, 
and  gave  him  reasons  for  wishing  to  have  it  abol 
ished.  He  was  convinced  of  its  vileness  ;  and  de 
clared,  that  not  one  of  his  subjects  should  ever  go 
into  slavery  again.  By  degrees,  they  began  to  talk 


KAIMBANNA. 


to  Kim  about  religion  ;  but  he  was  rather  wary  on 
that  head.  It  seems  he  had  formed  some  preju 
dices  against  Christianity. 

3.  Finding,  however,  that  the  factory  contained 
a  very  good  sort  of  people,  and  that   they  lived 
happily  among  themselves,  he  began  to  think  more 
favorably  of  their  religion  ;  but  he  was  still  back 
ward  either  in  receiving  it  himself,  or  in  making  it 
the  religion  of  his  country.    He  was  well  convinced 
of  the  barbarous   state  of  his   own  people,  on  a 
comparison  with   Europeans,  and  he  wished  for 
nothing,  more  than  a  reformation  among  them,  es 
pecially  in  religion. 

4.  But  as  he  found  there  were  several  kinds  (or 
forms)  of  religion  in  the  world,  he  wished  to  know 
which  was  the  best,  before  he  introduced  either  of 
them.    To  ascertain  this  point  as  well  as  he  could, 
he  took  the  following  method.    He  sent  one  of  his 
sons  into  Turkey,  among  the    Mohammedans ;  a 
second  into  Portugal,  among  the  Papists ;  and  a 
third  he  recommended  to  the  Sierra  Leone  Com 
pany,  desiring  they  would  send  him  to  England, 
to  be  there  instructed  in  the  religion  of  that  coun- 
try. 

5.  It  appears  he  meant  to  be  directed  by  the  re 
ports  of  his  sons,  in  the  choice  of  a  national  religion. 
Of  the  two  former  of  these  young  men,  we  have 
no  particulars,  only  that  one  of  them  became  very 
vicious.    The  last  mentioned,  though  I  believe  the 
eldest,  bore  his  father's  name,  Naimbanna,     Ths 


84  NAIMBANNA. 

Sierra  Leone  Company  received  the  charge  of 
him  with  great  pleasure,  believing  that  nothing 
could  have  a  better  effect  in  promoting  their 
benevolent  schemes,  than  making  him  a  good 
Christian. 

6.  Young  Naimbanna  was  a  perfect  African  in 
form,  and  had  that  bluntness  of  feature,  with  which 
the  African  face  is  commonly  marked.     While  he 
was  with  the  company,  he  seemed  a  well-disposed, 
tractable  youth ;  but  when  opposed,  he  was  impa 
tient,  fierce,  and  subject  to  violent  passion.     In  the 
first  ship  that  sailed  he  was  sent  to  England,  where 
he  arrived  in  the  year  1791. 

7.  We  may  imagine  with  what  astonishment  he 
surveyed  every  object  that  came  before  him  :  but 
his  curiosity,  in  prudent  hands,  became,  from  the 
first,  the  medium  of  useful  instruction.    During  his 
voyage,  he  acquired  some  knowledge  of  the  Eng 
lish  language ;  and  although  he  could  not  speak  it 
with  any  degree  of  fluency,  he  could  understand 
much  of  what  he  heard  spoken :  which  greatly  fa 
cilitated  his  learning  it,  when  he  applied  to  it  in  a 
more  regular  way. 

8.  The  difficulty  of  learning  to  speak  and  read 
being  in  a  great  degree  subdued,  he  was  put  upon 
the  grand  point  for  which  he  was  sent  to  England — • 
that  of  being  instructed  in  the  Christian  religion. 
The  gentlemen  to  whose  care  he  had  been  recom 
mended,  alternately  took  him  under  their  protec 
tion  ;  and  each  gave  up  his  whole  time  to  him, 


NAIMBANNA.  85 

faithfully  discharging  the  trust  which  he  had  volun 
tarily,  and  without  any  emolument,  undertaken. 

9.  Naimbanna  was  first  made  acquainted  with 
the  value  of  the  Bible  ;  the  most  material  parts  of 
the  Old  Testament,  as  well  as  the  New,  were  ex 
plained  to  him.     The  great  necessity  of  a  Saviour, 
for  the  sinfulness  of  man,  was  pointed  out ;    the 
end  and  design  of  Christianity,   its  doctrines,  its 
precepts,  and  its  sanctions,  were  all  made  intelli 
gible  to  him.     With  a  clearness  of  understanding 
which  astonished  those  \vho  took  the  care  of  in 
structing  him,  he  made  those  divine  truths  familiar 
to  his  mind.     He  received  the  gospel  with  joy,  and 
carried  it  home  to  his  heart  as  the  means  of  hap 
piness  both  in  this  world  and  the  next. 

10.  His  love  for  reading   the  Scriptures,  and 
hearing  them  read,  was  such,  that  he  never  was 
tired  of  the  exercise.     Every  other  part  of  learning 
that  he  was  put  upon,  as  arithmetic,  for  instance, 
was  heavy  work  with  him,  and  he  soon  began  to 
complain  of  fatigue  ;  but  even  when  he  was  most 
fatigued,  if  he  was  asked  to  read  in  the  Bible,  he 
was    always  ready,   and  generally  expressed  his 
readiness  by  some  emotions  of  joy. 

1 1.  In  short,  he  considered  the  Bible  as  the  rule 
which  was  to  direct  his  life  ;  and  he  made  a  real 
use  of  every  piece  of  instruction  which  he  obtained 
from  it.  This  was  evident  in  all  his  actions.    If  his 
behaviour  was  at  any  time  wrong,  and  a  passage  of 
Scripture  was  shown  to  him,  which  forbade  such 

8 


86  NAIMBANNA. 

behaviour,  whatever  it  was,  he  instantly  complied 
with  the  rule  he  received.  Of  this,  there  were 
many  instances. 

12.  One  related  to  dress.    He  had  a  little  vanity 
about  him,  was  fond  of  finery,  admired  it  in  other 
people,  and  was  always  ready  to  adorn  himself. 
His  kind  instructers  told  him  these  were  childish 
inclinations ;  that  decency  and  propriety  of  dress 
are  pleasing,  but  that  foppery  is  disgusting.  Above 
all,  they  told  him  that  the  Christian  is  ordered  "  to 
be  clothed  with  humility,  and  to  put  on  the  orna 
ment  of  a  meek  and  quiet  spirit."    Such  passages, 
whenever  they  were  suggested  to  him,  checked  all 
the  little  vanities  of  his  heart;    and   made   him 
ashamed  of  what  he  had  just  before  so  eagerly 
desired. 

13.  The  irritable  passions,  where  lay  his  weak 
est  side,  were  conquered  in  the  same  way.     His 
friends  once  carried  him  to  the  House  of  Com 
mons,  to  hear  a  debate  on  the  slave  trade,  which 
Colonel   Tarlton    defended    with    some   warmth. 
When  Naimbanna  came  out  of  the  house,  he  ex 
claimed  with  great  vehemence  and  indignation,  that 
he  would  kill  that  man  wherever  he  met  him  ;  for 
he  told  stories  of  his  country.     He  told  people  that 
his  countrymen  would  not  work ;   and  that  was  a 
great  story.     His   countrymen  would  work:  but 
Englishmen  would  not  buy  work  ;  they  would  buy 
only  men. 

14.  His  friends  told  him  that  he  should  not  be 


NAIMBANNA.  87 

angry  with  Colonel  Tarlton,  for  perhaps  he  had 
been  misinformed,  and  knew  no  better.  Besides, 
they  told  him  that,  at  any  rate,  he  had  no  right  to 
kill  him :  for  the  Almighty  says,  "  Vengeance  is 
mine,  I  will  repay  it,  sailh  the  Lord."  This  calmed 
him  in  a  moment ;  and  he  never  afterward  express 
ed  the  least  indignation  toward  Colonel  Tarlton ; 
but  he  would  have  been  ready  to  show  him  any 
friendly  office,  if  it  had  fallen  in  his  way. 

15.  At  another  time,  when  he  saw  a  drayman 
using  his  horse  ill,  he  fired  at  it  exceedingly,  and 
declared  he  would  get  a  gun,  and  shoot  that  fellow 
directly.     But  his  anger  was  presently  assuaged 
by  this  or  some  similar  passage  of  Scripture  :  "  Be 
ye  angry,  and  sin  not :  let  not  the  sun  go  down 
upon  thy  wrath."   He  showed  so  much  tenderness 
of  conscience,  that  he  seemed  anxious  about  no 
thing  but  to  know  what  his  religion  required  him 
to  do. 

16.  When  he  could  determine  the  rectitude  of 
an   action,  he  set  an  example  even  to  Christians, 
by  showing  that  he  thought  there  was  no  difficulty 
in  the  performance.    He  said  his  father  had  order 
ed  him,  when  he  arrived  in  England,  never  to  drink 
more  at  one  time  than  a  single  glass  of  wine  ;  and 
he  considered  his  father's  injunction  as  sacred.  On 
this  head,  therefore,  all   the  instruction  which  he 
wanted,  was,  to  turn  his  temperance  into  a  Chris 
tian  virtue,  by  practising  it  with  a  sincere  desire  to 
please  God. 


88  NAIMBANNA. 

17.  In  the  gay  scenes  which  often   presented 
themselves   to  his   view,  he   never   mixed.     His 
friends   were  very  solicitous   to  keep   him   from 
all   dissipation  which  might  have    corrupted   the 
beautiful  simplicity  of  mind  that  was    so  charac 
teristic  in  him.     He  was  fond  of  riding  on  horse 
back,  but  when  he  got  upon  a  horse,  it  was  diffi 
cult  to  govern  his  desire  for  rapid  motion.     After 
being  in  England  a  year  and  a   half,  and   being 
carefully  instructed  in  the  Christian  religion,  which 
he    well  understood,  he  was  baptized,   and   only 
waited   for    an    opportunity  of  returning    home ; 
which  did  not  occur  for  five  or  six  months  after 
ward. 

18.  In  the  mean  time,  two  great  points   were 
the  burden  of  his  thoughts,  and  gave   him  much 
distress.     The  first  related  to  his   father,  whose 
death  he  heard  had  happened  about  a  year  after  he 
left  the  country.     The  principal  cause  of  his  soli 
citude,  was  his  uncertainty  whether  his  father  had 
died  a  Christian.     He  knew  that  he  had  been  well 
disposed   toward  Christianity,  but   he   had  never 
heard  whether  he  had  fully  embraced  it. 

19.  His  other  difficulty  regarded  himself.     He 
had  now  attained  the  end  at  which  he  had  aimed. 
He  had  been  instructed  in  a  religion,  which  he  was 
convinced  would  promote  the  happiness  of  his  peo 
ple,  if  it  could  be  established  among  them.     But 
how  was  that  to  be  done  ?  With  regard  to  himself, 
he  had  had  wise  and  learned  men  to  instruct  him. 


NAIMBANNA.  89 

But  what  could  his  abilities  do  in  such  a  work — 
especially  considering  the  wild  and  savage  man 
ners  of  his  countrymen  ?  Jn  every  light,  the  great 
ness  of  the  attempt  perplexed  him. 

20.  With  a  mind  distressed  by  these  difficulties, 
he  took  an  affectionate  leave  of  his  kind  friends  in 
England,  and   embarked  for  Africa  in  one  of  the 
company's  ships,  which  was  named,  after  him,  the 
Naimbanna.    Though  he  had  shown  great  affection 
for  his  own  country  and  relations,  yet  the  kindness 
which  he  had  received  from  his  friends  in  England, 
had  impressed  him  strongly  ;  and  it  was  not  with 
out  a  great  struggle  that  he  broke  away  from  them 
at  last. 

21.  The  distress  he  felt,  was  increased  by  the 
society  he  mixed  in  at  sea — being  very  different 
from  that  which  he  had  left  behind.  The  profligate 
manners  and  licentious  language  of  the  ship's  com 
pany  shocked  him  exceedingly.     The  purity  of  his 
mind  could  not  bear  it.     He  had  hoped,  that  in  a 
Christian  country  he  should  always  find  himself 
among    Christians ;    but   he   was    greatly  disap 
pointed. 

22.  The  company  he  was  in,  appeared  to  him 
as  ignorant  and  uninformed  as  his  own  country 
men,  and  much  less  innocent  in  their  manners.    At 
length,   the    oaths,  and    abominable   conversation 
which  he  continually  heard,  affected  him  so  much, 
that  he  complained  to  the  captain  of  the  ship,  and 
desiied  him  to  put  a  stop  to  so  indecent  language, 

8* 


90  NAIMBANNA. 

The  captain  endeavored  to  check  it,  but  with  little 
effect ;  which  gave  Naimbanna  increased  distress. 

23.  But  still  the  great  burden  of  his  mind,  was 
the  difficulty  which  he  foresaw  in  the  attempt  to 
introduce    Christianity    among    his    countrymen. 
Many  were  the  Schemes  he  thought  of;  but   insu 
perable  obstacles  seemed  to  arise  on  every  side. 
All  this  perplexity  which  his   active   and  generous 
mind  underwent,  recoiled  upon  himself. 

24.  His    thoughts    vtere    continually   on    the 
stretch ;  and  this  it  was  supposed,  at  length  occa 
sioned  a  fever,  which  seized  him  when  his  voyage 
was  nearly  at  an  end.     His   malady  increasing,  it 
was  attended  with  delirium,  which  left  him  only  a 
few   lucid  intervals.     In  these,  his  mind    always 
shone  out  full  of  religious  hope,  and  patient  resig 
nation  to  the  will  of  God. 

25.  In  one  of  these  intervals,  he  told  Mr.  Gra 
ham,  a  fellow-passenger,  with  whom  he  was  most 
intimate,  that  he  began  to  think  he  should  be  called 
away,  before  he  had  an  'opportunity  to  tell   his 
mother  of  the  mercies  of  God  toward  him,  and  of 
his  obligations  to  the  Sierra  Leone  Company.    He 
then  desired  him  to  write  his  will,  which  he  began 
in  the   presence  of  Captain  Wooles    and  James 
Cato,  a  black  servant  that  attended  Naimbanna. 

26.  When  Mr.  Graham  had  written  a  consider 
able,  as  particularly  directed,  manifesting  the  feel 
ings  and  generosity  of  his  heart,  Naimbanna  com 
plained  of  fatigue,  and  said  he  would  finish  it  after 


NAIMBAKNA.  91 

he  had  taken  a  little  rest.  But  his  fever  came  on 
with  increased  violence,  and  his  delirium  scarcely 
ever  left  him  afterward. 

27.  The  night  after,  the  vessel,  though  close  to 
the  African  coast,  durst  not  attempt  to  land,  as  the 
wind  was  contrary,  and"  there  was  danger  of  run 
ning  on  the  Scarries  bank.  v  Next  morning,  though 
the  wind  continued  contrary,  Mr.  Graham  went  off 
to  the  settlement  in  an  open  boat  to  procure  med 
ical  aid.     But  when  the  physicianxcame  on  board, 
Naimbanna  was  just  alive;  and  in 'that  state  he 
was  carried  to  the    settlement,  the  ne^xt  morning, 
July  17th,  1793,  when  the  ship  came  to  anchor. 

28.  On  the  first  account  of  his  illness,  an  ex 
press  was  sent  to  inform  his  friends  at  Robanna ; 
and  soon  after  he  was  landed,  his  mother,  brothers, 
sisters,  and  relatives,  came  to  the  settlement.    The 
distracted  looks  of  his  mother,  and  the  wildness  of 
his  sisters'  grief,  affected  every  one.     His  cousin 
Henry,   an    ingenuous    youth,  who    stood  among 
them,  attracted  the  attention  of  all,  by  the  solemn 
sorrow  of  his  countenance,  which  seemed  to  dis 
cover  a  heart  full  of  tenderness  and  wo.     In  the 
mean  time,  the  dying  youth  appeared  every  mo 
ment  drawing  nearer  the  close  of  life. 

29.  His  voice  failing  more  and  more,  the  little 
he   said  was  with  difficulty  understood.     Once  or 
twice,  those  who  stood  around  him  caught  hold  of 
something  like  our  Saviour's  words  :  "  Many  are 
called,  but  few  chosen."     About  an  hour  before  he 


92  NAIMBANNA. 

died,  his  voice  wholly  failed.  He  was  a  while 
restless  and  uneasy,  till,  turning  his  head  on  his 
pillow,  he  found  an  easier  posture,  and  lay  per 
fectly  quiet. 

30.  About  seven  in  the  evening  of  the  day  on 
which  he  was  brought  on  shore,  he  expired  without 
a  groan.     When  his  mother   and  other  relatives 
found  his  breath  was  gone,  their  shrieks  and  ago 
nizing  cries  were  distressing  beyond  measure.    In 
stantly,  in  a  kind  of  frantic  madness,  they  snatched 
up  his  body,  hurried  it  into  a  canoe,  and  went  off 
with  it  to  Robanna.    Some  of  the  gentlemen  of  the 
factory   immediately    followed   in    boats,  with    a 
coffin. 

31.  When  the  corpse  was  laid  decently  into  it, 
Mr.  Home,  the  clergyman,  read  the  funeral  service 
over  it,  amid  a  number  of  people,  and  finished  with 
an   extempore  prayer.     The   ceremony  was  con 
ducted  with  so  much  solemnity,  and  performed  in 
so  affecting  a  manner,  that  the   impression  was 
communicated  throughout  the  whole  crowd.    They 
drew  closer  and  closer,  as  Mr.  Home  continued  to 
speak ;  and  though  they  understood  not  a  syllable 
of  what  he  said,  they  listened  to  him  with  great 
attention,   and  bore  witness,  with  every  mark  of 
sorrow,  to  the  powers  of  sympathy. 

32.  After  the  ceremony  was  over,  the  gentlemen 
of  the  factory  retired  to  their  boats,  leaving  the 
corpse,  as  his  friend  desired,  to  be  buried  according 
to  the  custom  of  the  country.     We  mix  our  grief 


NAIMBANNA.  93 

with  theirs  ;  and  shut  up,  in  the  inscrutable  coun 
sels  of  God,  all  inquiries  into  the  reasons  why  so 
invaluable  a  life  was  permitted  to  be  cut  off,  just 
at  the  time  of  its  greatest  probable  utility. 

33.  In  Naimbanna's  pocket-book  were  found, 
after  his  death,  two  little  notes,  which  show  the 
great  sensibility  of  his  mind  in  religious  matters. 
They  relate  to  a  circumstance  already  noticed, — 
the  disgust   which  he  took  at   the   behaviour   of 
the  ship's  company.     The  first  appears   to  have 
been  written  soon  after  he   embarked.     "I  shall 
take    care  of  this    company  which   I   now  have 
fallen  into ;  for  they  swear  good  deal,  and  talk  all 
manner  of  wickedness,  and  filthy ;  all  these  things. 
Can  I  be  able  to  resist  this  temptation  ?     No,  I 
cannot,  but  the  Lord  will  deliver  me." 

34.  The  other  memorandum  was  probably  writ 
ten  after  he  complained  to  the  captain.     "  June 
28th,  1793. — I  have  this  day  declared,  that  if  Si 
erra  Leone's  vessels  should  be  like  to  Naimbanna, 
or  have  a  company  like  her,  I  will  never  think  of 
coming  to   England  again,  though  I  have  friends 
there  as  dear  to  me   as  the  last  words  my  father 
spoke,  when  he  gave  up  the  ghost." 

35.  The  history  of  Naimbanna  is  a  beautiful 
illustration  of  our  blessed  Saviour's  injunction  to 
'•  receive    the    gospel   as  little    children :"  and  it 
should  convince  us,  that  if  we  are  desirous  to  re 
ceive  it  in  this  manner,  we  should  endeavor  care 
fully   to   separate  it  from  the   evil  customs    and 


94  MARGARET    ANN    CR13TCHF1ELD. 

practices  of  the  world ;  which  is  one  of  the  most 
necessary,  and,  at  the  same  time,  one  of  the  se 
verest  duties  of  a  state  of  trial. 


MARGARET  ANN  CRUTCHFIELD, 

A   CHEROKEE   CONVERT. 

Written  by  the  late  Mrs.  Gambold,  wife  of  the  Moravian  Mission- 
ary  at  Spring  Place  in  the  Cherokee  nation. 

OUR  late  beloved  sister,  Margaret  Ann,  was  born 
August  20,  1783.  Her  father,  Walter  Scott,  was 
agent  in  the  nation  under  the  British  government ; 
and  her  mother,  Sarah  Wilburn,  was  a  sister  of 
brother  Charles  Renatus  Hicks. 

2.  Her  first  husband  was  the  celebrated  Chero 
kee  chief,  James  Vann  ;  during  whose  lifetime,  she 
evinced  an  affection  for   the   missionaries  in  her 
neighborhood  at  Spring  Place ;  and  as   often  as  it 
was  in  her  power,  she  attended  our  meetings — not 
without  evident  concern  for  her  soul. 

3.  In  1808,  a  negro  woman  belonging  to  her, 
departed  this  life  in  the  faith  of  our  crucified  Sa 
viour  ;  which  made  a  deep  and  lasting  impression 
on  her  mistress.     February   19th,  1809,  she  had 
the  great  grief  to  lose  her  husband  by  means  of  a 
violent  death.     The  three  years  of  her  widowhood 


MARGARET  ANN  CRUTCHFIELD.        95 

proved  the  most  important  period  of  her  life.  By 
the  gracious  operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on  her 
heart,  she  learned  to  know  her  natural  sinfulness. 

4.  The  opinion  she  had  harbored  of  herself,  as 
being  superior  to  others  of  her  countrywomen,  now 
presented  itself  to  her  in  a  most  hideous  form,  so 
that  she  shuddered  at  the  sight  of  her  wicked  heart, 
and  felt  and  acknowledged  herself  the  greatest  sin 
ner  among  them.    She  cried  incessantly  for  mercy 
and  pardon  ;  and,  amid  floods  of  tears,  she  sought 
and  found  her  Saviour. 

5.  In  July,  1812,  she  again  entered  the  marriage 
state,  with    our    now  widowed    brother,    Joseph 
Crutchfield,  a  cousin  of  her  former  husband.     His 
becoming,  after    some  time,    a    member    of    our 
church,  and  walking  by  our  Saviour's  grace,  hand 
in  hand  with  her  in  the  narrow  way  which  leads  to 
life  and  bliss,  rendered  the  days  of  their  union  a 
truly  blessed  period. 

6.  Four  years  since,  she  was  frequently  ailing, 
and  her  husband,  with  us,  feared  greatly  that  we 
should  have  to  part  with  her  ;  we  therefore  moved 
her  from  her  farm  on  Mount  Joy  to    this  place, 
where  she  abode  during  the  winter  months.     By 
the  blessing  of  our  Lord  upon  the  simple  means 
used  toward  her  recovery,  she  was  enabled,  in  the 
following  spring,  to  return  home  ;  and  thinking  her 
self  perfectly  restored,  she  undertook,  as  before, 
the  management  of  her  extensive  domestic   con 
cerns. 


96  MARGARET   ANN     CRUTCHPIELl>. 

7.  However,  from  too  great  exertion  and  fre 
quent  colds,  her  consumptive  cough  returned,  and 
increased  to  such  a  degree,  that  she  was  under  the 
painful  necessity  of  relinquishing  her  wonted  ac 
tivity,  and  betaking  herself  to  rest.    Now,  her  chief 
and  most  agreeable  employ,  was    reading  in  the 
New  Testament,  and  the  hymn  book  of  the  Breth 
ren's  church. 

8.  Last  spring  we  again  took    her  to   Spring 
Place,  to  her  great  joy.     As  riding  on  horseback 
apparently  proved  of  benefit,  to  her,  she  made  re 
peated  visits  to  her  friends  and  relatives  at  Sogh- 
ge-lo-gy,  and  elsewhere  ;  testifying  of  the  Saviour's 
love  to  all  poor  sinners  ;  of  his  all-sufficient  atone 
ment  ;  and  of  the  great  happiness  we  enjoy,  even 
here  on  earth,  in  his  blessed  communion. 

9.  When  last  with  them,  she  addressed  her  In 
dian  sisters  thus  :  "  My  dear  sisters,  this  is  perhaps 
the  last  time  that  I  shall  visit  you.     I  beseech  you 
most  earnestly,  consider  our  poor  people,  who  as 
yet  sit  in  darkness,  and  know  not  our  dearest  Sa 
viour.     O  speak  to  them  of  his  love,  his  sufferings, 
and  death  on  the  cross  !  O  be  active  in  his  cause — 
he  deserves  it  of  you  !     If  it  were  his  holy  will,  I 
would  gladly  stay  longer  here,  only  for  the  purpose 
of  speaking  more  for  him,  and  of  showing  more  the 
way  to  him,"  &c. 

10.  These   words   she  spoke  amid  a  flood  of 
tears ;  and  all  the  sisters  wept,  promising  by  the 
Saviour's  grace  to  follow  her  maternal  injunctions 


MARGARET  ANN  CRUTCIIFIELD.  97 

She  arrived  here  in  great  weakness  of  body  on  the 
2d  of  September,  1 820.  She  was  now  no  longer 
able  to  edify  herself  by  reading,  therefore  she  was 
very  thankful  when  we  read  or  sung  for  her.  The 
frequent  visits  she  received  from  her  numerous 
friends  and  relations,  were  improved  to  the  best 
purposes  on  her  part. 

11.  The  Saviour  and  his  love  unto  death,  even 
the  death  of  the  cross,  were>  to  the  last,  her  chief 
delight,  and  the  topics  of  her  conversation.  Having 
been  honored  to  be  his  messenger  of  peace  to  many 
of  her  people,  this   honor  humbled  her  the  more  ; 
and  she  ofttimes   was  at  a  loss  how  to  express  her 
sense  of  the  high  obligations  she  lay  under  to  her 
Saviour,  for    favoring    the  vilest    wretch,  as    she 
deemed  herself  to  be,  thus  highly,  only  lamenting, 
that  she  was  not  able  to  do  much  more   for  her 
gracious  Lord. 

12.  Since  the  7th  of  September,  she  kept  her 
room.     On  the  16th  of  October,  in  the  presence  of 
a  number  of  friends,  whom  she  solemnly  enjoined 
to  give  themselves  to  our  Redeemer,  she  received 
the   last   benediction,  after  a  fervent  prayer  and 
thanks  to  him,  for  what  he  had  proved  to  his  hand 
maid,  the  first  fruits  of  the  Cherokee  nation,  during 
the  ten  years  of  her  Christian  life.    The  feeling  of 
the  divine  presence  on  this  occasion  is  beyond  de 
scription. 

13.  On  the  18th,  toward  night,  she  was  in  great 
bodily  pain.     We   sung  by  her  bed  as  usual,  and 

9 


98       MARGARET  ANN  CRUTCHFIELD. 

implored  our  God  to  shorten  the  sufferings  of  this 
dear-bought  soul ;  during  which  time,  with  a  loud 
voice,  she  incessantly  besought  his  coming  soon. 
"  Come,  come,  my  dearest  Saviour !  hasten,  O, 
hasten,  and  take  me  home  I  I  long,  I  long  to  be 
with  thee  !  Thou  canst  not  come  too  soon." 

14.  This  paroxysm  of  bodily  suffering  lasted 
about  half  an  hour,  after  which  she  fell,  as  it  were, 
into  a  sweet  slumber ;  and  during  our  singing  some 
appropriate  verses,  her  longing  soul  almost  imper 
ceptibly  left  the   emaciated  body,  and  went  into 
the   arms   of  her  dearest  Saviour.     Much,    very 
much  might  be  said  of  her  truly  edifying  Christian 
life,  led  in  the  faith  of  the  crucified  Son  of  God. 

15.  Yet,  in  obedience  to  her  repeated  and  most 
solemn  injunctions  to  her  husband,  we  must  stop 
here,  fearing  that  the  little  we  have  said,  might  not 
be  agreeable  to  the  wishes  of  our  departed  sister — 
for  these  were  her  words  :  "  I  know  assuredly  that 
my  name  is  written  in  heaven.    When  I  am  gone, 
I  pray  you  say  nothing  of  me,  but  let  my  name  on 
earth  perish  with  my  body." 


AN  AGED  PEQUOT.  99 


THE  PEGIUOT  OF  A  HUNDRED  YEARS. 

AN    AUTHENTIC    NARRATIVE. 

"  I  AM  an  aged  hemlock  :  the  winds  of  a  hun 
dred  winters  have  whistled  through  my  branches : 
I  am  dead  at  the  top,"  said  a  venerable  Mohawk 
chieftain.  The  ancient  Pequot  Indian  woman, 
whose  brief  history  is  here  given,  expressed  her 
self  in  language  alike  figurative  and  natural  to  the 
Indian  race :  "  I  am  a  withered  shrub :  I  have 
stood  a  hundred  years  :  all  my  leaves  are  fallen ; 
but  water  from  the  river  of  God  still  keeps  my 
root  alive."  Here  was  a  bright  allusion,  (wanting 
in  the  speech  of  the  Mohawk,)  which  implied  con 
fidence  in  God. 

2.  This  individual,  long  known  in  her  neighbor 
hood  as  the  Good  Old  Ruth,  died  February  5th, 
1833.     The  Pequots,  her  native  tribe,  were  dis 
tinguished  for  cruelty,  and  hatred  of  the  Christian 
religion ;  and  she  herself,  in  early  life,  possessed 
the  same  characterises.     Her  memory  reached 
back  to  the  period  when  the  eastern  part  of  Con 
necticut  was  full  of  Mohegans  and  Pequots,  and 
the  Narragansetts  were  numerous  in  Rhode  Isl- 

'          ^tiilMi^hahn:/  isd  ol  sirsoa  Jri* 

3.  Among  these  tribes,  more  than  half  of  her 

life  was  passed.     She  well  remembered  the  en- 

f.      t  -?V  -- 


100  THE    PEQUOT    OP 

listment  of  the  Indians  in  the  army  that  took 
Louisburg  from  the  French  in  1745,  and  to  her 
last  days  would  describe  their  march  in  glowing 
language — the  women  and  children  following  them 
for  some  miles,  wailing  and  lamenting  according 
to  their  native  custom.  In  her  youth,  she  re 
sided  a  while  among  the  Narragansetts,  and  mar 
ried  one  of  that  tribe,  named  Pomham,  with  whom 
she  removed  to  the  Mohegan  settlements  in  the 
vicinity  of  New  London,  Connecticut. 

4.  They  lived  together  about  a  dozen  years,  in 
a  low  irregular  manner,  often  wandering  into  the 
neighboring  towns,  and  obtaining  a  subsistence  by 
labor  or  begging,  but  by  no  means   scrupulous  in 
their  principles,  or  upright  in  their  conduct.     Pom- 
ham  at  length  died;    the  sons   went  to  sea,  the 
daughters  to  service  ;  and,   at  fifty  years  of  age, 
Ruth  was  left  a  lonely  widow,  ignorant  of  Christ, 
and  with  no  cheering  hope  either  for  this  world  or 
the  next. 

5.  About  this  period,   she  became  a  constant 
attendant  upon  an  aged  lady,  who  was  very  infirm, 
but  intelligent  and  pious.     This  lady  often  con 
versed  with  her  on  the  subject  of  religion,  and  two 
young  children  connected  with   the  family    took 
great  pains  to  teach  her  to  read  and  understand  the 
New   Testament.      Its   truths,  now,  for  the  first 
time,  brought  home  to  her  understanding,  made  a 
deep  impression   on  her  soul.     She  soon  began  to 
confess  her  sins  to  God,  and  to  cry  to  him  for 


A    HUNDRED    YEARS.  101 

mercy.  The  knowledge  that  she  imbibed  from 
the  lips  of  these  children,  seemed  to  her,  as  she 
afterward  said,  "  sweeter  than  meat  or  sleep." 

6.  Her  situation  was  one  of  great  confinement,  but 
whenever  permission  was  given  her  to  go  out  for 
refreshment  or  exercise,  instead  of  availing  herself 
of  it,  she  would  spend  the  time  with  these  chil 
dren,  sitting  down   on  a  low   stool  by  their  side, 
while  they  instructed  her  from  the  Bible  or  other 
good  books — preferring  this  privilege  to  the  en 
joyment  of  the  fresh  air,  or  rambling  in  the  green 
fields.     Thus  was  she    gently   led,   like   a   little 
child,  by  the  instrumentality  of  little  children,  to 
the  feet  of  the  Saviour ;  and  after  having,  for  some 
time,   given  decided  evidence   of  piety,  she  was 
received    into    the    communion    of    the    Baptist 
church,  about  the  year  1790. 

7.  During  the  last  thirty  years  of  her  life,  she 
resided  with  her  youngest  daughter  in  a  comfort 
able  tenement,  where  the  charitable  and  the  pious 
often  went  to  see  her,  and  took  care  that  in  her 
old  age  she  should  not  be  without  some  of  the 
comforts  of  life.     Those  who  knew  her  origin  and 
ner  early  history,  were  surprised  at  the  depth  of 
ner  Christian  experience ;  and  even  strangers  were 
often  affected  to  tears,  to  find  so  heavenly  a  relish 
of  divine  things  in  one  so  poor,  so  ignorant,  and 
so  aged. 

8.  Her    senses   were    very    little    impaired   at 

ninety  years  of  age,  but  she  had  never  been  able 
9* 


102  THE    PEQUOT    OF 

to  read  very  fluently ;  and  a  visit  from  a  Christian, 
or  even  from  a  child,  who  would  read  to  her  in 
one  of  her  two  precious  books,  her  Bible  and 
psalm  book,  was  a  blessing  for  which  she  used 
most  devoutly  to  thank  God.  For  every  little 
article  of  comfort  also,  that  was  presented  to  her, 
she  would  first  give  thanks  to  God,  and  then  ex 
press  her  gratitude  to  her  earthly  benefactor. 

9.  The  smallest  of  these  gifts  would  instantly 
carry  her  mind  away  to  its  Author,  and  lead  her  to 
dwell  upon  his  goodness,   sometimes  with  calm 
delight,  and  sometimes  with  deep  emotion.     "  God 
is  good,"  she  would  say,  "  O,  how  good  !     The  air 
that  comes  in  at  my  window,  the  singing  of  birds, 
and  all  the  sounds  I  hear,  tell  me  that  he  is  good 
This  fruit  that  I  hold  in  my  hand  speaks  of  his 
goodness — I  see  it  every  where — I  learn  more  of 
it  every  day.     Yes,  he  is  good,    and   he    is    my 
Heavenly  Father — that  is  my  exceeding  joy." 

10.  She  often  spoke  of  the  sweet  views  she 
had  of  God,  and  Christ,   and  heaven,  during  the 
silence  of  the  night,  always   preferring  to  sleep 
alone,  that  the  communion  of  her  soul  with  God 
might  be  undisturbed.     "  It  is  sweet,"  said  she, 
"  to  be  alone  in  the  night  season  with  my  Saviour." 

11.  A  visiter  once  wished  to  ascertain  whether 
her   love  to  the  Saviour  was  truly  spiritual,   or 
merely  like  what  we  feel  for  a  dear  earthly  friend. 
"  Ruth,"  said  she,  "  do  you  really  love  the  Saviour 
more — "     She  could  proceed  no  further,  before  the 


A    HUNDRED    YEARS.  103 

aged  woman  raised  her  shrivelled  hand  from  the 
bed,  and  exclaimed,  with  great  animation,  "  Better 
than  all  the  world  besides — better  than  friend  or 
kindred.  He  is  all  my  hope  and  all  m.y  joy." 

12.  She  manifested  such  confidence  in  God, 
and  so  happy  an  assurance  of  heaven,  that  faith 
seemed  at  times  lost  in  vision.     Life  had  no  dis 
tressing  doubts  or  cares — neither  had  death  any 
terrors.     "  I  am  in  the  hands  of  my  Father,"  she 
would  say :    "  God  will  take  care  of  me  all  the 
days  of  my  appointed  time — I  will  wait.     But  I 
am  not  afraid  of  death.     Jesus  has  been  through 
the  valley,  and  he  will  go  with  me.     I  will  lean 
upon  his  rod  and  his  staff." 

13.  All   who   came    near   her   shared   in   her 
prayers  and  exhortations;  and  after  she  had  lost 
her  eyesight,  even  the  sound  of  footsteps  passing 
by,  would  make  her  heart  beat  quick  with  desire 
for  the   salvation  of  the  wayfaring  man  and  the 
stranger.     To  some  teachers  who  had  been  instru 
mental  in  establishing    a  Sabbath  school  in  the 
neighborhood,  she  said,  "  I  thank  my  God  for  what 
you  have  done.     May  he  bless  you  for  it.     I  can 
not  see  it,  but  I  can  hear  the  little  feet,  as  they 
patter  along  on  the  Sabbath  morning,  and  I  rejoice 
that  they  are  going  where  they  will  be  taught  to 
love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

14.  Once,  on  a  cold  day  in  winter,  the  almon 
ers  of  a  charitable  society  carried  her  a  donation 
very  opportunely.     As  they  opened  their  stores, 


104  THE  PEQUOT  OF 

her  daughter  remarked,  "  Mother  will  surely  think 
this  comes  in  answer  .  to  prayer,  for  when  I  told 
her  this  morning  that  we  had  nothing  left,  she  bade 
me  trust  in  God  and  take  courage,  saying,  '  I  have 
been  young,  and  now  I  am  old,  but  never  saw  I 
the  righteous  forsaken,  nor  his  seed  begging 
bread.' "  Her  mother  from  her  bed  overheard  this 
last  sentence,  and  interrupting  her,  exclaimed,  "  O, 
he  has  always  fed  me,  and  he  always  will ;  none 
ever  trusted  in  him  and  was  forsaken." 

15.  At  another  time,  they  arrived  on  their  char 
itable   errand  just  as  Ruth  was  about  to  take  her 
dinner.      As  she  was  bhnd,  they  entered  unob 
served.     Her  food  consisted  of  a  kind  of  soup, 
made  by  boiling  bones  in  corn  water,  and  it  stood 
before  her  in  a  rusty  tin  basin.     After  tasting  it, 
she  folded  her  hands  and  asked,  to  borrow  the  lan 
guage  of  one  of  the  visiters,  "  a  most  heavenly 
blessing."      Her    words  were   slow,  but  she   ex 
pressed  herself  with  great  propriety  and  fervency. 
The  idea  she  conveyed  was,  that  as  God  had  fed 
the  Israelites  in  the  wilderness  with  manna  from 
heaven,  so  she  in  her  poverty  had   been  sustained 
by  the  same  kind  hand  ;  and  she  prayed  that  she 
might  always  have  a  thankful  heart,  and  as  good 
and  as  sweet  food  as  that  which  was  then  before 
her. 

16.  In  a  message  to  an  absent  minister,  whose 
prayers  and  conversation  had  yielded  her  great  de 
light  and  comfort,  she  said,  "  Tell  that  dear  man, 


A    HUNDRED    YEARS.  105 

what  happiness  I  have.  Last  night  I  had  such 
views  of  heaven  that  I  thought  I  heard  the  music 
of  the  angelic  host,  and  saw  the  Saviour  face  to 
face.  I  could  not  believe  but  I  was  there,  till  I 
called  to  my  child,  and  she  answered  me.  O,  it 
was  a  foretaste  of  heavenly  bliss  !  Tell  him  that 
this  is  my  continual  frame  of  mind." 

17.  In  October,  1832,  Ruth  entered  her  hun 
dredth  year.  She  was  exceedingly  shrivelled,  and 
had  been  blind  about  five  years,  but  she  was  able 
to  sit  up  a  great  part  of  each  day,  and  to  walk 
with  her  staff  from  the  bed  to  the  fire.  It  seemed 
probable  that  she  might  live  much  longer,  but  an 
accidental  wound  in  her  hand,  made  by  a  favorite 
dog,  was  followed  by  mortification  and  sudden 
death.  The  last  distinct  words  she  uttered  were, 
"  Come,  my  Saviour,  come  !"  Happy,  happy  old 
woman  !  Glorious  the  grace  of  that  gospel  thus 
manifested  in  her — triumphant  in  poverty,  infir 
mity,  and  death !  Thine,  O  blessed  Saviour  !  be 
all  the  glory ! 


)06  JOHIf    WILLIAMS. 


JOHN  WILLIAMS, 

WHO   WAS   REMARKABLY   AFFLICTED. 
By  Robert  Eastburn,  of  New  Brunswick,  N.  J  . 

JOHN  WILLIAMS,  who  lived  and  died  between 
New  Brunswick  and  Trenton,  in  New  Jersey, 
served  me  as  an  apprentice,  about  four  years.  He 
was  weakly,  and  subject  to  indisposition.  He 
was  a  poor  colored  boy.  Naturally  intelligent,  he 
learned  to  read. 

2.  Being  disposed  to  use   spirituous  liquors  to 
excess,  and  profane  language  to  a  dreadful  degree, 
his  conduct  was  a  trial  to  me  ;  yet,  at  times,  he 
appeared  to  have  serious  reflections  about  himself 
and  the  fruits  of  his  ways  :  and  by  the  medium  of 
instrumental  assistance,  attended  by  Divine  power 
and  mercy,  his  conscience  became  deeply  convict 
ed  of  the  sinfulness  of  his  condition. 

3.  A  state  of  awful  despair  ensued,  that  con 
tinued,  as  nigh  as  I  can  recollect,  for  some  months. 
Abiding  therein,  the  light  of  Truth  so  arose  toward 
the  conclusion  of  it,  that  the  dread  of  wrath  and 
punishment  were  removed,  and  a  sense  of  pardon 
experienced,  in  which  joy,  and  love  to  God  and 
man,  were  shed  abroad  in  his  heart  ;  so  that  now 
he  rejoiced  in  the  Saviour,  and  gave  glory  to  God 


JOHN    WILLIAMS,  107 

in  the  highest,  having  peace  in  his  soul  and  good 
will  to  men. 

4.  Twenty  years  he  was  afflicted  with  rheuma 
tism.     And  for  about  twelve  years  previous  to  his 
decease,  he  was  wholly  incapable  of  helping  him 
self.      His  jaws,  body,  and  limbs,  became  fixed 
immoveably  for  some  years  before  his  departure, 
so  that  his  jaws  were  locked,  his  head  was  bent 
back   as   in  tetanus,   and  he  could  not  bear  any 
thing  under  it  to  support  it,  but  lay  with  the  pillow 
under  his  shoulders. 

5.  His  arm  lay  as  if  riveted  across  his  body. 
One  half  of  his  head  appeared  as  if  dead :  so  that 
he  had  but  one  eye  through  which  he  could  see, 
-and  one  ear  with  which  he  could  hear.     All  the 
rest  of   his    body    appeared  to  possess  but  little 
vitality,  except  his  tongue.     Nevertheless,  he  pos 
sessed  his  intellects  to  admiration ;  and  it  was  be 
lieved,  that  his  soul  and  spirit  were  daily  and  prin 
cipally  exercised  in  devotion,  prayer,  and  thanks 
giving,  to  the  hour  of  his  departure  from  time  to 
eternity. 

•6.  Amid  the  extreme  sufferings,  poverty,  and 
helplessness,  under  which  he  was  so  long  held  in 
durance,  he  often  expressed  much  cause  for  hum 
ble  thankfulness  to  the  divine  Being,  for  the  great 
and  multiplied  mercies  conferred  upon  him ;  and 
more  particularly  for  affording  him  time  to  repent, 
and  abandon  his  sinful  thoughts,  words,  and  in 
clinations. 


10$  JOHN    WILLIAMS. 

7.  The  happiness  and  gratitude   of  his    soul, 
during  his  uncommon  and  protracted  affliction  of 
body,  deserve  very  particular  attention ;  because 
they  prove  that  peace  and  felicity  do  not  consist  in 
the  things  of  this  life,  nor  in  health,  nor  in  freedom 
from  pain,  but  in  unison  with  God,  and  participa 
tion  in  his  divine  nature  and  character — the  human 
will  being  subjected  to  the  will  of  God,  the  love 
of  self  being  turned  to  the  love  of  God  and  his 
creatures,  and  our  affections  to  things  of  this  life 
being  transferred  to  things  of  eternity. 

8.  He  was  heard,  a  short  time  before  his  death, 
to  express  his  willingness  to  live  or  die,  as  it  might 
please  the  Lord  to  order  it ;  "  but,"  said  he,  "  I  do 
not  desire  to  be  restored  to  health,  lest  I  should 
become  forgetful   of  my   best  and  greatest  good. 
I  am  thankful  that  the  Lord  has  thus  afflicted  me ; 
I  esteem  it  a  great  mercy."     Words  of  this  im 
port  he  frequently  uttered. 

9.  I  visited  him  sundry  times,  as  opportunity 
offered  ;  and  to  the  best  of  my  recollection    his 
mind  appeared  happily  exercised  on  things  of  God. 
In  particular,   at  one  time,  when  I  had  agreed  to 
stay  all  night  with  him,  he  was  praising  God  when 
I  came  to  the  door.     Having  spent  the  evening  in 
agreeable  conversation,  and  retired  to  rest,  I  heard 
him,  when  I  awoke  at  different  times  in  the  night, 
in  prayer  and  thanksgiving  to  God. 

10.  About  the  time  his  jaws  were  locked  up, 
two  of  his  upper  teeth  came  out  very  providers 


JOHN    WILLIAMS.  109 

tially,  and  through  this  aperture,  he  was  enabled 
10  receive  his  sustenance  from  the  spout  of  a  tea 
pot. 

11.  By  his  request,  he  was  accustomed  to  have 
a  book  placed  before  him,  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
read  with  his  one  eye ;  and  he  would  learn  its  con 
tents   to  admiration — repeating  and   singing  them 
over  in  a  spirit  of  solemnity  and  gratitude. 

12.  Some   little   time  before  his  departure,  he 
desired  his  nurse  to  prepare  to  follow  him ;  for  he 
expected   soon  to  leave  her.     In  the  evening,  it 
seemed  doubtful  whether  he   would  live  till  the 
morning ;  and  in  the  morning  it  appeared  doubtful 
whether  he  would  live  till  the  evening. 

13.  His  great  support  of   life   had   been  tho 
elixir  paregoric,  which  being  exhausted,  and  the 
messenger  who  went  for  more,  having  unusually 
protracted   his   return,   his   stomach  became  dis 
ordered,  vomiting  ensued,  and  he  died  on  the  fifth 
of  third  month,  1813. 

10 


110  2ILPAH    MONTJOT. 


ZILPAH  MONTJOY. 

* 

IN  the  year  1821,  died,  in  the  city  of  New  York, 
an  aged  woman  of  color,  named  Zilpah  Montjoy, 
whose  pious  circumspect  life  rendered  her  an  ob 
ject  of  peculiar  interest  to  many  of  her  acquaint 
ances  ;  to  some  of  these,  whose  friendly  notice 
she  had  experienced,  sl.e  more  than  once  related 
the  following  circumstance  : — 

2.  Being  a  slave,  inured  to  hard  labor,  she  was 
brought  up  in  so  extreme  ignorance,  as  to  have  no 
idea  that  she  was  an  accountable  being — that  there 
was  a  future  state — not  even  that  death  was  uni 
versal,  until  the  sixteenth  year  of  her  age,  when  a 
girl  of  her  own  color  dying  in  the  neighborhood, 
she  was  permitted  to  attend  the  funeral. 

3.  The  minister's  text  was,  "  Man  that  is  born 
of  a  woman  is  of  few  days  and  full  of  trouble  :  he 
cometh  forth  like  a  flower  and  is  cut  down :  he 
fleeth  also  as  a  shadow  and  continueth  not !"  by 
which   and   subsequent  remarks,   she  understood 
that  all  were  to  die ;  that  there  was  a  state  of  ex 
istence  after  death,  a  preparation  for  which  was 
necessary  while  here. 

4.  She  was  much  affected,  and  returned  home 
in  great  agitation.     Revolving  these  things  in  her 
mind  for  several  days,  she  at  length  asked  her 
mistress  whether  she  had  understood  right,  that  all 


ZILPAH    MONTJOY.  Ill 

must  die.  The  reply  was,  "  Go  to  your  work." 
She  continued  thus  exercised  for  a  considerable 
time,  earnestly  desiring  to  know  what  she  had  to 
do,  but  had  no  one  to  give  her  instruction. 

5.  In  this  tried  state,  the  Lord  was  pleased  to 
reveal  himself,  and  impress  on  her  untaught  mind 
a  belief  in  an  omnipotent  and  omniscient  Being, 
and  that  his  law  was  written  on  the  heart.     Thus 
gradually  becoming  calm  and  settled,  her  confi 
dence  was  made  strong  in  him,  who,  hiding  his 
counsels  from  the  wise  and  prudent  in  their  own 
eyes,  "  hath  revealed  them  unto  babes."     And  it  is 
believed  she  was  from  that  time  guarded  and  care 
ful  in  her  conduct. 

6.  She  married,  and  had  two  daughters,  one  of 
whom  was  taken,  at  an  early  age,  and  placed  at  so 
great  a  distance  from  her  that  she  never  saw  her 
after.     The  other  died  when  about  grown :  and 
being  also  bereaved  of  her  husband,  she  was  very 
lonely.     But  under  these  trials  she  appears  to  have 
been  sustained,  as  was  David  when  he  could  say, 
"  Thy  rod  and  thy  staff,  they  comfort  me." 

7.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  society, 
and  a  diligent  attender  of  their  meetings  as  long  as 
her  strength  permitted.     When  she  was  (as  near 
as  can  be  ascertained)  about  sixty-eight  years  old, 
the    "  Clarkson  Association  for  teaching   colored 
women  to  read  and  write,"  was  established. 

8.  And  when  she  received  the  information,  she 
offered  herself  as  a  scholar,  but  the  teachers  en- 


112  ZILPAH    MONTJOY. 

deavored  to  dissuade  her,  telling  her  she  was  too 
old  to  begin,  as  she  did  not  know  a  letter,  and  her 
sight  was  so  impaired  as  to  require  two  pairs  of 
spectacles;  she  however  urged  admittance,  stating 
that  her  only  motive  was  a  desire  to  be  able  to 
read  the  Bible,  and  she  believed  "  the  Lord  would 
help  her  "  adding,  "  We  are  never  too  old  to  do 
good." 

9.  And  being  admitted,  she  was  very  diligent  in 
her  attendance,  and  by  great  perseverance  became 
able  to  read  a  little   in  the  New  Testament ;  and 
one  with  large  print  being  given  her,  she  prized  it 
very  highly,   and  would  frequently  open  it  and 
read   one   of   the   chapters   contained  in   Christ's 
sermon   on   the  mount,  calling  it — "the   blessed 
chapter." 

10.  But  notwithstanding    her    great  desire  to 
learn,  she  did  not  allow  her  studies  to  interfere 
with  her  religious  engagements ;  and  the  time  for 
meeting  with  her  class  being  fixed  on  one   of  the 
afternoons  that  the  school  was  taught,  it  was  incon 
venient  to  her ;  but  as  the  school  commenced  at 
three  o'clock,  and  the  meeting  at  four,  the  hour  be 
tween  she  generally  spent  at  the  school,  staying  as 
long  as  it  would  do,  and  then  going  as  quickly  as  she 
could,  to  be  punctual  to  the  time.     Sometimes  she 
has  been  seen  running,  when  she  heard  the  clock 
strike  and  found  herself  a  little  too  late. 

1 1 .  She  was  industrious  and  frugal,  but  being 
liberated  late  in  life,  she  barely  procured  a  subsist- 


Z1LPAH    MONTJOY.  113 

ence ;  and  for  the  last  two  or  three  years,  being 
nearly  past  labor,  she  was  dependent  on  the  be 
nevolence  of  others  :  but  at  no  time,  however  desti 
tute  and  tried,  did  she  lose  her  confidence  in  the 
power  of  Him  "  who  provideth  for  the  raven  his 
food ;"  often  saying  at  such  seasons,  "  The  Lord 
has  been  my  helper,  and  I  trust  in  him."  And 
when  any  favor  was  conferred  on  her,  she  feelingly 
expressed  her  gratitude,  yet  mostly  with  reference 
to  the  Great  Supreme,  for  giving  her  friends  so 
kind. 

12.  At  a  certain  time,  a  friend,  being  unusually 
thoughtful  about  her,  went  to  see  how  she  was  sit 
uated,  taking  with  her  a  loaf  of  bread.     She  found 
her  unable  to  go  out,  and  without  provision ;  and 
querying  with  her,  "  Zilpah,  art  thou  here  alone  ?" 
she  replied,  "  No,  I  am  never  alone  ;  my  Master  is 
with  me.     When  I  awake  in  the  night  season,  he 
talks  with   me.     He  has  promised  to  take  care  of 
me,  and  he  has  done  it ;  he  has  now  sent  me  that 
loaf  of  bread."    At  another  time,  she  said  to  a  per 
son  who  visited  her,  "  How  good  the  Lord  is ;  I 
have  always  something  to  eat,  for  if  I  take  my  last 
morsel,   some    one   comes    and   brings   me  moro 
before  I  want  again." 

13.  Her  understanding  failed,   so  that  for  sev 
eral  weeks  before  her  death  she  knew  very  little ; 
but  her  conversation  was  innocent,  sometimes  say 
ing,  "  If  it  is  the  Lord's  will  to  take  me,  I  am  will 
ing  to  go,  but  I  must  wait  his  time."     And  he  was 

10* 


114  BELINDA    LUCAS. 

pleased  to  release  her,  after  a  short  confinement 
without  any  apparent  disease  but  the  decline  of  na 
ture,  about  the  seventy-ninth  year  of  her  age.    Her 
remains  were  decently  deposited  in  the  African 
place  of  interment,  in  the  city  of  New  York. 


BELINDA  LUCAS, 

A  WOMAN  of  color,  living  in  Christie-street,  New 
York,  is  now,  1825,  about  one  hundred  years  old. 
She  retains  her  faculties  remarkably  well,  and  she 
recently  gave  the  following  account  of  herself. 
"  When  I  was  a  small  child  in  Africa,  being  one 
day  at  play  in  the  woods,  some  people  came  along ; 
one  of  whom  catched  me,  and  throwing  me  over 
his  shoulder,  ran  away  with  me.  After  he  had 
gone  some  distance,  he  put  me  down  and  whip 
ped  me  to  make  me  run. 

2.  "  When  we  came  to  the  water,  they  put  me 
into  the  ship  and  carried  me  to  Antigua.  Soon 
after,  the  captain  of  a  vessel  from  New  York, 
taking  a  liking  to  me,  bought  me,  and  brought  me 
here.  I  was  then  so  little,  that  I  slept  sometimes 
at  my  mistress's  feet.  I  think  there  was  only  one 
house  for  worship  in  ihe  city  then  ;  and  I  remem 
ber  very  well  that  up  Broadway  there  were  only  a 


BELINDA    LUCAS.  115 

few  small  houses  ;  and  where  the  college  stands  it 
was  woods. 

3.  "  I  was  sold  several  times,  married  twice,  and 
had  one  child  that  died  young.     I  was  baptized  in 
St.  Paul's  church  not  long  after  it  was  built ;  and 
when  I  was  about  forty  years  old,  I  bought  my 
freedom  for  twenty  pounds.    Not  long  after  I  mar 
ried  my  last  husband,  I  paid  for  his  freedom,  and 
we  went  to  Charleston.     After  living  there  about 
seven  years,  he  died ;    and  knowing  I  had  many 
friends  and  acquaintances  in  New  York,  I   came 
back. 

4.  "  I  brought  a  hundred  dollars  with  me,  which 
I  put  into  the  church  stock.    From  that  I  have  re 
ceived  seven  dollars  every  year,  and  with  it  I  buy 
my  winter  firewood.     By  working  early  and  late, 
besides  my  day's  work,  I  earned  money,  and  got  a 
life   lease  of  this  spot  of  ground,  and  built   this 
house  ;  and  in  this  room"  (which  is  on  the   first 
floor)  "  I  have  lived  many  years. 

5.  "  The  upper  part  I  rent ;  but  sometimes  the 
people  have  been  poor,  and  could  not  pay  me  ;  then 
I  lost  it :  but  these  people  pay  me  very  well.     I 
have  been  asked  many  times  to  sell  it,  but  I  think 
it  is  much  better  for  me  to  stay  quietly  here  than 

to  be  moving  about : — and  besides,!  let  Mr. 

have  fifty  dollars,  and  when  he  failed,  I  lost  it ;  and 
the  bad  folks  have  several  times  taken  money  out 
of  my  chest ;  and  I  was  afraid,  if  I  did  sell,  I  should 
lose  that  also,  and  then  I  should  be  very  bad  off. 


116  BELINDA    LUCAS. 

6.  "  As  I  have  no  relation  of  my  own,  when  I 
am  gone,  and  don't  want  these  things  any  more, 
they  are  to  be  divided  among  my  husband's  folks." 
A  person  present  told  her  she  should  have  a  writ 
ing  drawn,  to  tell  how  they  should  be  divided ; 
saying,  "  Perhaps  they  will  quarrel  about  it."    She 
said,  "  I  have  told  them  if  they  did,  them   that 
quarrelled  must  not  have  any  thing." 

7.  When  asked  if  she  could  read,  she  answered, 
"  Yes  ;  when  I  was  young,  I  learned  to  spell  a  lit 
tle,  but  I  did  not  know  how  to  put  the  words  to 
gether,  till  I  went  to  the  Clarkson  school.     There 
I  learned  to  read ;  and  though  I  can't  read  all  the 
hard  words  in  the  Bible,  I  can  read  Matthew  and 
John  very  well."    A  representation  of  the  crucifix 
ion  of  Christ  hanging  over  the  chimney-piece,  she 
pointed  to  it,  and  explained  it  very  intelligibly,  re 
marking  that,  "  to  Mary,  who  was  kneeling  near  the 
cross,  it  was  said,  *  Woman,  behold  thy  Son,'  and 
to  one  of  those  standing  by,  '  Behold  thy  mother.' " 

8.  This  representation  appeared  to  afford  her 
much  interest  in  contemplating  it,  though  she  look 
ed  only  to  the  Lord  for  consolation,  and  several 
times,  while  giving  this  account,  testified  of  his 
goodness   and  mercy   to  her ;  saying,   "  It    is  the 
Lord's  will  that  I  should  be   so   comfortably  pro 
vided  for.     When  I  was  younger,  and  worked  so 
steadily,  the  people  used  to  say,  c  Belinda,  what  do 
you  work  so  hard  for,  and  lay  up  money  ?  you  have 
no  children  to  take  it  when  you  are  gone.' 


BELINDA    LUCAS.  117 

9.  "  I  did  not  know  then  but  the  Lord  knew 
that  I  was  to  live  a  great  while,  and  he  put  it  into 
my  heart  to  do   so,  and  now  I  have  plenty,  and 
trouble  nobody  for  a  living.     I  am    unwell  this 
morning,  but  by  and  by,  when  I  feel  better,  I  in 
tend  to  clean  up.     I  used  to  live  very  snug  and 
comfortable ;  I  can't  get  anybody  now  to  put  up 
my  things  for  me  so  well  as  I  can  do  it  for  my 
self."    Her  bed  had  curtains,  and  appeared  to  have 
comfortable  covering  on  it.     She  had  a  looking- 
glass,  an  armchair,  a  carpet  on  her  floor,  and  other 
necessary  furniture. 

10.  She  further  said,  "  When  I  was  able,  I  went 
often  to   see  the  sick,  and  the  suffering  poor,  and 
do  something  for  them,  and  I  sometimes  prayed  by 
their   bedside ;"  and  added,  "  I  believe  the  Lord 
heard  my  prayers."     Placing  her  hands  in  an  atti 
tude  of  supplication,  and  turning  her  eyes  upward, 
"  I  often  pray  now,  and  I  leave  it  to  him,  and  he 
gives  me  what  I  pray  for.     If  he  thinks  it  best  for 
me  to  live  longer  yet,  I  am  willing  to  stay ;  and  if 
he  thinks  best  to  take  me  away,  I  am  ready  to  go." 

11.  On  being  asked  how  old  she  was,  she  re 
plied,  "  When  Peter  Williams  was  going  to  Hayti, 
and  he  came   to  see  me  and  bid  me  farewell,  he 
said,  *  Belinda,  I  have  been  calculating  your  age, 
as  near  as  I  can  from  circumstances,  and  I  believe 
you  are  about  a  hundred  years  old.'     I  thought  I 
was  older,  but  I  suppose  he  must  be  correct. 

12.  "I  used  to  work  for  the  rich  folks,  and  they 


118  BELINDA    LUCAS. 

seemed  to  love  me,  and  treated  me  very  kindly. 

Mrs.  T ,  and  Mrs.  H ,  and  many  others, 

have  been  to  see  me  a  great  many  times.  Mr.  Liv 
ingston,  the  lawyer,  who  died  at  Washington,  you 
remember — with  his  first  wife's  father,  Mr.  Kittle- 
tas,  I  lived,  and  of  him  I  bought  my  freedom.  And 
when  I  went  to  Mr.  Livingston's,  he  would  say, 
*  Why,  Belinda,  you  have  a  long  life  of  it  here.'  I 
would  say,  '  Yes,  master,  the  Lord  knows,  but  I 
don't,  why  I  stay  so  long' — but,  dear  man,  he  is 
gone !" 

1 3.  On  being  asked  why  she  lived  alone,  she  said, 
"  If  I  have  somebody  with  me,  they  will  want  other 
company,  and  that  will  make  more  noise  than  I 
like.     I  love  to  be  still ;  then  I  can  think.     And 
when  I  am  sick,  the  people  up  stairs  are  kind  to 
me,  and  do  what  little  I  want  done." 

14.  When  speaking  of  reading,  she  said,  "  I  met 
with  a  bad  accident  lately ;  I  dropped  my  specta 
cles  in  the  fire,  and  it  spoiled  them:  when  I  can 

get  into  the  Bowery,  to  Mr. 's  store,  I  can  get 

another  pair ;  but  nobody  can  get  them  for  me — 
they  would  not  know  how  to  suit  my  eyes — and 
then  I  always  pay  cash  for  what  I  get — I  have 
found  it  the  best  way.     In  all  my  life  long,  there 
has  never  anybody  had  the  scratch  of  a  pen  against 
me.     I  have  been  saving  too  :  them  plates  there," 
(pointing  to  her  closet,)  "  I  brought  them  with  me 
from  Charleston  before  Washington's  .war." 

15.  In  this  unpolished  narrative,  we    see  the 


GUSTAVUS    VASSA.  119 

benefit  of  acquiring  steady  habits  in  early  life — of 
honest  persevering  industry — and  frugality  in  the 
use  of  what  was  so  obtained.  From  the  one  hun 
dred  dollars  put  into  church  stock,  she  has  in  fifty 
years  received  three  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  ;  and 
in  such  a  way  as  to  be  particularly  useful  to  her. 
Her  pious  care  of  the  sick ;  her  quiet,  decent,  and 
comely  way  of  living ;  and  her  exertions  in  learning 
to  read,  even  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty  years, 
are  also  worthy  of  particular  notice. 


GUSTAVUS  VASSA. 

TAKEN    FROM    HIS   NARRATIVE,    WRITTEN    ABOUT    THE     YEAR 
1787. 

"  I  OFFER  here  neither  the  history  of  a  saint,  a 
hero,  nor  a  tyrant.  I  believe  there  are  few  events 
in  my  life,  which  have  not  happened  to  many ;  but 
when  I  compare  my  lot  with  that  of  many  of  my 
countrymen,  I  acknowledge  the  mercies  of  Provi 
dence  in  the  occurrences  that  have  taken  place. 

2.  "  That  part  of  Africa  known  by  the  name  of 
Guinea,  to  which  the  trade  for  slaves  is  carried  on, 
extends  along  the  coast  above  3400  miles,  from 
Senegal  to  Angola,  and  includes  a  variety  of  king 
doms.  The  most  considerable  of  these  is  Benin,  as 


120  GUSTAVUS    VASSA. 

it  respects  its  extent,  wealth,  and  richness  of  soil. 
It  is  bounded  on  the  sea  170  miles,  and  its  inte 
rior  seems  only  terminated  by  the  empire  of  Abys 
sinia,  near  1500  miles  from  its  first  boundaries. 

3.  "  In  one  of  the  most  remote  and  fertile  pro 
vinces  of  this  kingdom  I  was  born,  in    the  year 
1745.  As  our  country  is  one  where  nature  is  prodi 
gal  of  her  favors,  our  wants,  which  are  few,  are 
easily  supplied.     All  our  industry  is  turned  to  the 
improvement  of  those  blessings,  and  we  are  habit 
uated  to  labor  from  our  early  years  ;  and  by  this 
means  we  have  no  beggars. 

4.  "Our  houses  never  exceed  one  story,  and  are 
built  of  wood,  thatched  with  reeds,  and  the  floors 
are  generally  covered  with  mats.     The  dress  of 
both  sexes  consists  of  a  long  piece  of  calico  or 
muslin,  wrapped  loosely  round  the  body  :  our  beds 
are  also  covered  with  the  same  kind  of  cloth :  this 
the  women  make  when  they  are  not  engaged  in 
labor  with  the  men.    Our  tillage  is  in  a  large  com 
mon,  and  all  the  people  resort  thither  in  a  body 
and  unite  in  the  labor. 

5.  "  The    land,   being  uncommonly    rich,   pro 
duces  vegetables  in  abundance,  and  a  variety  of  de 
licious  fruits  ;  also  Indian  corn,  cotton,  and  tobacco. 
Our   meat  consists  of    cattle,   goats,  and  poultry. 
The  ceremony  of  washing  before  eating  is  strictly 
enjoined,  and  cleanliness  is  considered  as  a  part  of 
their  religion.     They  believe  there  is  one  Creator 
of  all  things,  and  that  he  governs  all  events. 


CUSTAVUS    VASSA.  121 

6.  "  My  father,  being  a  man  of  rank,  had  a  nu 
merous    family:   his    children    consisted   of   one 
daughter,  and  a  number  of  sons  ;  of  which  I  was 
the  youngest.    As  I  generally  attended  my  mother, 
she  took  great  pains  in  forming  my  mind,  and  train 
ing  me  to  exercise.     In  this  way,  I  grew  up  to 
about  the  eleventh  year  of  my  age,  when  an  end 
was  put  to  my  happiness  in  the  following  man 
ner: — 

7.  "  One  day,  when  all  our  people  were  gone  to 
their  work,  and    only  my  dear  sister  and  myself 
were  left  to  watch  the  house,  two  men  and  a  wo 
man  came,  and  seizing  us  both,  stopped  our  mouths 
that  we  should  not  make  a  noise,  and  ran  off  with 
us  into  the  woods,  where  they  tied  our  hands,  and 
took  us  some  distance,  to  a  small  house,  where  we 
stayed  that  night. 

8.  "  The  next  morning,  after  keeping  the  woods 
some  distance,  we  came  to  an  opening,  where  we 
saw  some  people  at  work,  and  I  began  to  cry  for 
assistance,  but  this  made  them  tie  us  faster,  and 
again  stop  our  mouths ;  and  they  put  me  into  a  sack 
until  we  had  got  out  of  sight  of  these  people.   When 
they  offered  us  food  we  could  not  eat.  Often  bath 
ing  each  other  in  tears,  our  only  respite  was  sleep ; 
but  alas !  even  the  privilege  of  weeping  together 
was    soon   denied  us.     While    enclosed    in  each 
other's  arms,  we  were  torn  asunder,  and  I  was  left 
in  a  state  of  distress  not  to  be  described. 

9.  "  After  travelling  a  great  distance,  suffering 

11 


122  GUSTAVUS    VASSA. 

many  hardships,  and  being  sold  several  times,  one 
evening  my  dear  sister  was  brought  to  the  same 
house.  We  were  both  so  overcome  that  we  could 
not  speak  for  some  time,  but  clung  to  each  other 
and  wept.  And  when  the  people  were  told  that  we 
were  brother  and  sister,  they  indulged  us  with  being 
together;  and  one  of  the  men  at  night  lay  between 
us,  and  allowed  us  to  hold  each  other's  hand  across 
him. 

10.  "This  comfort,  small  as  it  may  appear  to 
some,  was  not  so  to  us  :  but  it  was  of  short  dura 
tion  ;  when  morning  came,  we  were  again   sepa 
rated,  and  I  never  saw  her  more.  I  remembered  the 
happiness  of  our  childish  sports,  the  indulgence  of 
maternal  affection ;  and  fear  that  her  lot  would  be 
still  harder  than  mine,  fixed  her  image  so  indelibly 
on  my  mind,  that  neither  prosperity  nor  adversity 
has  ever  erased  it. 

11.  "I  once  attempted  to  run  away  ;  but  when 
I  had  got  into  the  woods,  and  night  came  on,  I  be 
came  alarmed  with  the  idea  of  being  devoured  by 
•wild  beasts,  and  with  trembling  steps,  and  a  sad 
heart,  I  returned  to  my  master's  house,  and  laid 
down  in  his  fireplace,  where  I  was  found  in  the 
morning.     Being  closely  reprimanded  by  my  mas 
ter,  he  ordered  me  to  be  taken  care  of,  and  I  was 
soon  sold  again.     I  then  travelled  through  a  very 
fertile  country,  where  I  saw  cocoa  nuts  and  sugar 
cane. 

1 2.  "  All  the  people  I  had  hitherto  seen,  resem- 


GUSTAVUS    VASSA.  123 

bled  my  own  ;  and  having  learned  a  little  of  seve 
ral  languages,  I  could  understand  them  pretty  well  * 
but  now,  after  six  or  seven  months  had  passed 
away,  from  the  time  I  was  kidnapped,  I  arrived  at 
the  sea  coast,  and  I  beheld  that  element  which  be 
fore  I  had  no  idea  of.  It  also  made  me  acquainted 
with  such  cruelties  as  I  can  never  reflect  upon  but 
with  horror.  The  first  object  that  met  my  sight 
was  a  slave  ship  riding  at  anchor,  waiting  for  her 
cargo  ! 

13.  "  When  I  was  taken  on  board,  being  roughly 
handled  and  closely  examined  by  these  men,  whose 
complexion  and  language  differed  so  much  from 
any  I  had  seen  or  heard  before,  I  apprehended  I 
had  got  into  a  world  of  bad  spirits,  which  so  over 
came  me  that  I  fainted  and  fell.    When  I  came  to, 
their  horrible  looks  and  red  faces  frightened  me 
again  exceedingly.     But  I  had  not  time  to  think 
much  about  it,  before  I  was,  with  many  of  my 
poor  country  people,  put  under  deck  in  a  loath 
some   and  horrible  place.     In    this    situation,  we 
wished  for  death,  and  sometimes  refused  to  eat, 
and  for  this  we  were  beaten. 

14.  "  After  enduring  more  hardships  than  I  can 
relate,  we  arrived  at  Barbadoes,  in  the  West  Indies. 
When  taken  on  shore,  we  were  put  into  a  pen  like 
so  many  beasts,  and  thence  sold  and  separated — 
husbands  and  wives,  parents  and  children,  brothers 
and   sisters,  without  any  distinction.     Their  cries 
excited  some  compassion  in  the  hearts  of  those  who 


124  GUSTAVUS    VASSA. 

were  capable  of  feeling,  but  others  seemed  to  feel 
no  remorse,  though  the  scene  was  so  affecting. 

15.  "  I,  with  some  others,  was  sent  to  America : 
when  we  arrived  in  Virginia,  we  were  also  sold  and 
separated.    Not  long  after,  Captain  Pascal,  coming 
to   my  master's,  purchased   me,  and  sent  me  on 
board  his  ship,  called  the  Industrious  Bee.     I  had 
not  yet  learned  much  of  the  English  language, 
so  I  could  not  understand  their  conversation  ;  and 
some  of  them  made  me  believe  I  was  going  home 
to  Africa.     This  pleased  me  very  much,  and  the 
kind  treatment  I  received  made  me  happy ;  but 
when  we  came  in  sight  of  England,  I  found  they 
had  deceived   me.     It  was   on  board  this  ship  I 
received  the  name  of  Gustavus  Vassa. 

16.  "  Having  often  seen  my  master,  and  a  lad 
named  Richard  Baker,  who  was  very  kind  to  me, 
reading  in  books,  I  had  a  desire  to  do  so,  that  I 
might  find  out  how  all  things  had  a  beginning.    For 
that  purpose,  I  often  took  a  book,  talked  to  it,  and 
then  placed  it  to  my  ear  to  hear  what  it  would  say  ; 
but  when  I  found  it  remained  silent,  I  was  much 
concerned. 

17.  "The  summer  of  1757,  I  was  taken  by  a 
press-gang,  and  carried  on  board  a  man  of  war. 
After  passing  about  a  year  in  this   service,  on  the 
coast  of  France  and  in  America,  on  my  return  to 
England,  I  received  much  kindness,  and  was  sent 
to  school,  where  I  learned  to  read  and  write.     My 
master  receiving  the  office  of  lieutenant  on  board 


GUSTAVUS    VASSA.  125 

one  of  those  ships,  took  me  with  him  up  the  Medi 
terranean.  My  desire  for  learning  induced  some  of 
my  shipmates  to  instruct  me,  so  that  I  could  read 
the  Bible  ;  and  one  of  them,  a  sober  man,  explained 
many  passages  to  me. 

18.  "  As  I  had  now  served  my  master  faithfully 
several  years,  and  his  kindness  had  given  me  hopes 
that  he  would  grant  my  freedom,  when  we  arrived 
in  England,  I  ventured  to  tell  him  so  ;  but  he  was 
offended,  for  he  had  determined  on  sending  me  to 
the  West  Indies.     Accordingly,  at  the  close  of  the 
year  1762,  finding  a  vessel  bound  thither,  he  took 
me  on  board,  and  gave  me  in  charge  of  the  captain. 

19.  "I  endeavored  to  expostulate  with  him,  by 
telling  him  he  had  received  my  wages   and  all  my 
prize  money,  but  it  was  to  no  purpose.  Taking  my 
only  coat  from  my  back,  he  went  off  in  his  boat.    I 
followed  them  with  aching  eyes,  and  a  heart  ready 
to  burst  with  grief,  until  they  were  out  of  sight. 
The  captain,  whose  name  was  Doran,  treated  me 
very  kindly  but  we  had  a  tempestuous  voyage. 

20.  "When  we  came  in    sight  of  Montserrat, 
remembering  what  I  had  seen  on  my  first  arrival 
from  Africa,  it  chilled  me  to  the  heart,  and  brought 
nothing  to  my  view  but  misery,  stripes,  and  chains  : 
and  to  complete  my  distress,  two  of  the  sailors  rob 
bed  me  of  about  eight  guineas,  which  I  had  col 
lected  by  doing  little  jobs  on  board  the   ships  of 
war,  and  which  I  hid  when  my  master  took  my 
coat. 

11* 


126  GUSTAVUS    VAS3A. 

21.  "Having  unladed  the  ship,  and  laded  her 
'  again  for  sea,  the  captain  sent  for  me :  when,  with 
trembling  steps  and  a  faltering  heart,  I  came  to 
him.  I  found  him  sitting  with  Mr.  Robert  King, 
a  Quaker,  and  a  merchant :  and  after  telling  me 
the  charge  he  had  to  get  me  a  good  master,  he  said 
he  had  got  me  one  of  the  best  on  the  island.  Mr. 
King  also  said  he  had  bought  me  on  account  of  my 
good  character,  (to  maintain  which  I  found  to  be 
of  great  importance,)  and  that  his  home  was  in 
Philadelphia,  where  he  expected  soon  to  go,  and 
he  did  not  intend  to  treat  me  hard. 

22.  "  He  asked  me  what  I  could  do.     I  answer 
ed,!  could  shave,  and  dress  hair  pretty  well ;  and 
that  I  had  learned  to  refine  wines ;  I  could  write, 
and  understood  arithmetic  as  far  as  the  Rule  of 
Three.   The  character  Captain  Doran  had  given  of 
my  master,  I  found  to  be  correct.     He  possessed 
an  amiable    disposition,  and  was  very  charitable 
and  humane. 

23.  "  In  passing  about  the  island,  I  had  an  op 
portunity  of  seeing  the  dreadful  usage,  and  wretch 
ed  situation  of  the  poor  slaves  ;  and  it  reconciled 
me  to  my  condition,  and  made  me  thankful  for  be 
ing  placed  with  so  kind  a  master.    He  was  several 
times  offered  a  great  price  for  me,  but  he  would 
not  sell  me.    Having  obtained  three  pence,  I  began 
a  little  trade, -and  soon  gained  a  dollar,  then  more; 
with  this  I  bought  me  a  Bible. 


GUSTAVUS   VASSA.  127 

24.  "Going  in  a  vessel  of  my  master's  to 
Georgia  and  Charleston,  a  small  venture  I  took  on 
my  return  answered  a  very  good  purpose.  In  1765, 
my  master  prepared  for  going  to  Philadelphia. 
With  his  crediting  rne  for  some  articles,  and  the 
little  stock  of  my  own,  I  laid  in  considerable,  which 
elated  rne  much ;  and  I  told  him  I  hoped  I  should 
soon  obtain  enough  to  purchase  my  freedom,  which 
he  promised  me  I  should  have  when  I  could  pay 
him  what  he  gave  for  me. 

25.  "  Between  Montserrat  and  several  ports  in 
America,  we  made  many  trips.    One  circumstance 
occurred  when  I  was  in  Georgia,  that  was  a  seri 
ous  one  to  me.    Being  in  a  yard  with  some  slaves 
one  evening,  their  master  coming  home  drunk,  and 
seeing  me,  a  stranger,  he,  with  a  stout  man  to  help 
him,  beat  me  so  that  I  could  not  go  aboard  the 
ship,  which  gave  the  captain  much  anxiety.  When 
he  found  me,  and  saw  the  situation  I  was  in,  he 
wept ;  but  by  his  kind  attention,  and  that  of  a  skil 
ful  physician,  I  was  in  a  few  weeks  able  to  go  on 
board  and  attend  to  my  business. 

26.  "  Thus,  passing  from  one  port  to  another, 
with  my  kind  master's  and  captain's   indulgence, 
and  my  own  indefatigable  industry  and  economy,  I 
obtained  the  sum  required  for  my  liberty.    So,  one 
morning,  while  they  were  at  breakfast,  I  ventured 
to  remind  my  master  of  what  he  had  promised,  and 
to  tell  him  I  had  got  the  money — at  which  lie 


123  GU3TAVUS    VASSA. 

seemed  surprised.  The  captain  told  him  I  had 
come  honestly  by  it,,  and  he  must  now  fulfil  his 
promise. 

27.  "  Upon  which  he  told  me  to  get  a  manumis 
sion  drawn,  and  he  would  sign  it.     At  this  intel 
ligence  my  heart  leaped  for  joy.     When  the  whole 
was  finished,  and  I  was  in  reality  free,  I  felt  like 
another  being — my  joy  was  indescribable.      My 
master  and  Captain  Doran  entreated  me    not  to 
leave   them,,  and    gratitude   induced  me  to   stay, 
though  I  longed  to  see  Captain  Pascal,  and  let  him 
know  I  was  free. 

28.  "  I  now  hired  as  a  sailor,  and  our  next  voy 
age  was  to  Savannah.     When  we  were  preparing 
to  return,  and  were  taking  some  cattle  on  board,, 
one  of  them  butted  the  captain  in  the  breast,  which 
affected  him  so  that  he  was  unable  to  do  duty,  and 
he  died  before  we  reached  our  port.     This  was  a 
heavy  stroke  to  me,  for  he  had  been  my  true  friend^ 
and  I  loved  him  as  a  father. 

29.  "  The  winter  following,  I  sailed  again  for 
Georgia,  with  a  new  captain,  in  the  Nancy  :  but 
steering  a  mo-re  westerly  course  than  usual,  we 
soon  got  on  the  Bahama  banks,  where  our  vessel 
was  wrecked,  but  no  lives  were  lost.     Getting  on 
one  of  the  islands,  with  some  salt  provision  we  had 
saved,  we  remained  there  many  days,  and  suffered 
much  for  want  of  fresh  water. 

30.  "  When  we  were  almost  famished  with  hun 
ger  and  thirst,  we  were  found,  and  carried  to  New 


GUSTAVUS    YASSA. 

Providence,  where  we  were  kindly  treated.  Thence 
we  were  taken  to  Savannah,  so  to  Martinico  and 
Montserrat,  having  been  absent  about  six  months, 
and  experienced  the  delivering  hand  of  Providence 
more  than  once,  when  all  human  means  seemed 
hopeless. 

31.  "After  relating  to  Mr.  King  the  loss  of  the 
Nancy,  and  the  various  hardships  we  had  endured, 
I  again  told  him  my  desire  to  go  to  England ;  and 
although  he  wished  me  to  remain  in  his  service,  he 
consented,  and  gave  me  the  following  certificate : — 
*  The  bearer  hereof,  Gustavus  Vassa,  was  my  slave 
upward  of  three  years ;  during  which  time  he  al 
ways   behaved  himself  well,  and   discharged   his 
duty  with  honesty  and  assiduity.          R.  KING.' 

32.  "  Obtaining  this  certificate,  I  soon  parted 
with   my  kind  master,  and   arrived  in  England. 
When  I  here  received  my  wages,  I  had  thirty-seven 
guineas.    I  soon  found  my  old  captain,  Pascal,  who 
was  surprised  to  see  me,  and  asked  how  I  came 
back.     I  told  him,  '  In  a  ship.'     To  which  he  re 
plied,  '  I  suppose  you  did  not  walk  on  the  water? 

33.  "  I  now  set  my  mind  on  getting  more  learn 
ing,  and  attended  school  diligently.  My  money  not 
being  sufficient,  I  hired  myself  to  service  a  while  ; 
but  having  a  desire  to  go  again  to  the  Mediterranean, 
I  engaged  on  board  a  ship,  where  the  mate  taught 
me  navigation.     While  at  Smyrna,  I  saw  many 
caravans  from  India.     Among  other  articles,  they 
brought  great  quantities  of  locusts,  and  a  kind  of 


130  GUSTAVUS   VASSA. 

pulse  resembling  French    beans,  though  larger; 
they  are  sweet  and  palatable. 

34.  "In  the  spring  of  1773,  an  expedition  was 
fitted  out  to  explore  a  northwest  passage  to  India. 
Dr.  Irving  concluding  to  go,  I  accompanied  him, 
and  we  went  on  board  one  of  the  vessels  the  24th 
of  May ;  and  about  the  middle  of  June,  by  the  use 
of  the  doctor's   apparatus  for   making  salt  water 
fresh,  we  distilled  from  twenty-six  to  forty  gallons 
a  day.    On  the  28th  we  reached  Greenland,  where 
I  found  the  sun  did  not  set. 

35.  "  We  saw  large  fields  of  ice,  and  to  one  of 
them,  about  eighty  yards  thick,  we  made   our  ves 
sel  fast :  but  we  soon  became  so  surrounded  with 
ice  that  we  could  not  move,  and  were  in  danger  of 
being  crushed  to  pieces.    In  this  perilous  situation 
we  remained  eleven  days,  when   the  weather  be 
coming  more  mild,  and  the  wind  changing,  the  ice 
gave  way,  and  in  about  thirty  hours,  with  hard  la 
bor,  we  got  into  open  water,  to  our  great  joy,  and 
arrived  at  Deptford,  after  an  absence  of  four  months, 
wherein  we  had  experienced  imminent  dangers. 

36.  "  Rejoicing  to  be  again  in  England,  I  enter 
ed  into  service,  and  remained  a  considerable  time  ; 
during  which,  I  began  to  reflect  seriously  on  the 
many  dangers  I  had  escaped,  particularly  in  my 
last  voyage,  and  it  made  a  serious  impression  on 
my  mind  ;  and  my  reflections  were  often  turned  to 
the  awfulness  of  eternity. 

37.  "In  this  state,!  took  to  my  Bible,  rejoicing 


GUSTAVUS    VASSA.  131 

tnat  I  could  read  it  for  myself,  and  I  received  en- 
couragement.  While  my  mind  was  thus  seriously 
impressed,  I  went  several  voyages  to  Spain,  and 
being  often  led  to  look  over  the  occurrences  of  my 
past  life,  I  saw  there  had  been  the  hand  of  Provi 
dence  to  guide  and  protect  me,  though  I  knew  it 
not ;  and  when  I  considered  my  obligations  to  the 
Lord  for  his  goodness,  I  wept. 

38.  "  On  our  return,  the  last  voyage,  we  picked 
up  eleven  Portuguese.     Their  vessel  had  sunk) 
with  two  of  the  crew,  and  they  were  in  a  small 
open  boat,  without  victuals,  compass,  water,  or  any 
thing  else,  and  must  soon  have  perished.     As  soon, 
as  they  got  on  board  our  vessel,  they  fell  on  their 
knees  and  thanked  God  for  their  deliverance.  Thus 
I  saw   verified  what    was  written   in    the    107th 
Psalm. 

39.  "From  the  year   1777  to  1784,  I  remained 
more  quiet ;  but  about  the  latter  period  I  made  a 
trip  to  New  York,  and  one  to  Philadelphia.  At  tha 
latter  place,  I  was  very  much  pleased  to  see  the 
worthy  Quakers  easing  the  burdens  of  my  oppressed 
countrymen.  It  also  rejoiced  my  heart  when  one  of 
these  people  took  me  to  the  free  school,  and  I  saw 
the  children  of  my  color  instructed,  and  their  minds 
cultivated,  to  fit  them  for  usefulness. 

40.  "  Not  long  after  my  return,  I  found  govern 
ment  was  preparing  to  make  a  settlement  of  freo 
people  of  color  on  the  coast  of  Africa,  and  that 
vessels  were  engaged  to  carry  such  as  wished  to 


GtFSTAVUS    VASSA, 

go  to  Sierra  Leone.  I  engaged  as  commissary, 
and  we  set  sail  with  426  persons.  But  the  time 
of  our  arrival  there,  the  rainy  season  having 
commenced,  proved  unfavorable,  and  some  of  us 
soon  returned  to  England  -r  where,  since  that  pe 
riod,  I  have  been  doing  what  I  could  for  the  relief 
of  my  much-injured  country  people. 

41.  "Having  been  early  taught  to  look  for  the 
hand  of  God  in  minute  circumstances,  they  have 
been  of  consequence  to  me  ;  and  aiming  at  simple 
truth  in  relating  the  incidents  of  my  life,  I  hope 
some  of  my  readers-  will  gather  instruction  from 
them.'" 

42.  Gregorie,  in  his  Inquiry  into  the  Intellectual 
and  Moral  Faculties  of  the  Negroes,  states,  that  after 
thirty  years  of  a  wandering  and  stormy  life,  Vassa 
established  himself  in  London,  where  he  married, 
and  published  his  memoirs,  which  have  been  seve 
ral  times  reprinted — the  last  edition  in  1794  \  and  it 
is  proved  by  the  most  respectable  testimony  that  he 
was  the  author.     In  1789,  he  presented  a  petition 
to  parliament,  for  the  suppression  of  the  slave  trade. 

43.  He  also  says,  that  a  son  of  his,  named  San- 
cho,  having  received  a  good  education,  was  an  as 
sistant  librarian  to  Sir  Joseph  Banks,  and  secretary 
to  the  committee  for  vaccination.  And  he  concludes 
with  this  remark :  "  If  Vassa  still  lived,  the  bill 
which   was    lately  passed,  prohibiting  the    slave 
trade,  would  be  consoling  to  his  heart,  and  to  his 
M  age." 


TOUSSAINT  L'OUVERTURE.  133 


TOUSSAINT  L'OUVERTURE. 

FROM   THE    HISTORY   OF   HAYTI. 

FROM  the  best  information  that  can  be  obtained, 
he  was  born  in  a  state  of  slavery,  on  the  island  of 
St.  Domingo,  (now  Hayti,)  about  the  year  1745 
Though  there  is  but  little  said  of  his  early  life,  yet 
it  appears  that  he  was  noted  for  his  benevolence, 
and  tender  feeling  toward  the  brute  creation,  and 
a  stability  of  temper  that  scarcely  any  thing  could 
discompose. 

2.  At  the  age  of  twenty-five,  he  took  upon  him 
self  the  cares  of  domestic  life,  and  having  several 
children,    they  were  the  objects  of  his  tender,  af 
fectionate,  and  parental  solicitude.     By  assiduous 
labor,  he  learned  to  read  and  write,  and  he  also 
made   some  progress  in  arithmetic.      This,  with 
his  regular  and  amiable  deportment,  gained  him 
the  love  and  esteem  of  his  master,  who  took  him 
from  the  field  and  made  him  his  coachman. 

3.  This  was  a  post  of  considerable  dignity  and 
profit.     The  increased  leisure  this  situation  afford 
ed,  was  employed  in  cultivating  his  talents,  and 
collecting  those  stores  of  information,  which  en 
riched  his  mind,  polished  his  manners,  and  pre 
pared  him  for  a   more  extensive   and  important 

12 


134 

sphere  of  action.  When  the  insurrection  of  the 
negroes  took  place  in  1791,  Toussaint  was  still  a 
slave  on  the  plantation  where  he  was  born ;  but 
he  refrained  from  taking  any  part  in  the  first  rev 
olutionary  movements. 

4.  Many  of  the  planters  made  their  escape  from 
the  island,  and  fled  with  their  families  to  foreign 
countries ;  but  the  master  of  Toussaint  was  one 
who,  not  having  made  an  early  escape,  was  on  the 
point  of  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  infuriated 
blacks.     But  his  humane  and  beneficent  treatment 
of  this  worthy  slave,  was  not  forgotten  ;  and  at  the 
risk  of  his  own  life,  he  prepared  for  the  emigration 
of  his  master  and  family  to  North  America,  and 
found  means  to  embark  a  considerable  quantity  of 
produce  for  their  support  in  exile. 

5.  Nor  did  his  care  end  here  :  after  their  settle 
ment  at  Baltimore  in  Maryland,  he  availed  himself 
of  every  opportunity  to  send  them  some  additional 
proof  of  his  friendship  and  gratitude.     Not  long 
after  this,  he  was  placed  in  a  conspicuous  station, 
where  the  excellences  of  his  character  unfolded 
themselves  more  and  more,  as  opportunities  offered 
for  their  development ;  and  the  same  amiable  dis 
positions  which  adorned  his  humble  life,  continued 
to  distinguish  him  in  his  elevation. 

6.  One  who  was  opposed  to  him  in  politics, 
says,  "  He  has  a  fine  penetrating  eye,  and  is  ex 
tremely  sober  by  habit,  and  his   activity  in  the 
prosecution  of  his  enterprises  is  incessant,   and 


L'OUVERTURE.  135 

allows  very  little  time  for  settled  repose,  or  for  his 
meals."  If  there  was  one  trait  in  his  character 
more  conspicuous  than  the  rest,  says  the  historian, 
it  was  his  unsullied  integrity.  That  he  never 
broke  his  word,  was  a  proverbial  expression,  even 
among  those  who  sought  occasion  against  him. 
Though,  for  a  considerable  time,  he  possessed  un 
limited  power,  he  has  never  been  charged  with  its 
abuse. 

7.  Four  Frenchmen,  who  had  been  guilty  of 
treachery,  being  taken,  and  remembering  the  ex 
ample  set  by  their  general,  every  one  expected  to 
be  put  to  a  cruel  death.     Leaving  them,  however, 
in  a  state  of  suspense  as  to  their  fate,  Toussaint 
ordered  them  to  be  brought  into  church  the  follow 
ing  Sunday,  and  while  that  part  of  the  service  was 
pronouncing  which  relates  to  mutual  forgiveness, 
he  went  with  them  to  the  front  of  the  altar,  where, 
after  endeavoring  to  impress  their  minds  \vith  the 
heinousness  of  their  conduct,  he   ordered  them  to 
be  discharged  without  further  punishment. 

8.  There  having  been  considerable  disturbance 
on  the  island,  by  the  interference  of  the  English 
and  French  governments,  but  having  come  to  an 
amicable   adjustment  of   affairs,    it   was   deemed 
proper  for  the  British  general,  Maitland,  to  make 
Toussaint   a  visit,  previous  to   his  embarkation. 
Though  their  business  was  not  fully  settled,  yet, 
confiding  in  the  integrity  of  Toussaint,  the  general 
went  with  only  two  or  three  of  his  attendants. 


136  TOUSSAINT  L'OXJVERTURE. 

Before  he  arrived,  Toussaint  received  a  letter  from 
one  of  his  partisans,  advising  him  to  retain  the 
British  general. 

9.  On  the  general's  arrival,  Toussaint  was  not 
to  be  seen  immediately,  but  at  length  he  appeared 
with  two  letters  in  his  hand.     "  There,  general," 
said  he,    "  before   we  talk  together,  read  these : 
one  is  a  letter  just  received  from  Roume,  (the 
French  commissioner,)   and  the  other  is  my  an 
swer.     I  would  not  come  to  you  until  I  had  writ 
ten  my  answer  to  him,  that  you  may  see  how  safe 
you  are  with  me,  and  how  incapable  I  am  of  base 
ness."     General  Maitland,  on  reading  the  letters, 
found  one  to  be  a  very  artful  attempt  to  persuade 
Toussaint  to  seize  his  guest,  as  an  act  of  duty  to 
the  republic,  and  the  other  a  noble  and  indignant 
refusal. 

10.  "What!"  said  Toussaint,   in  his  letter  to 
the  perfidious  Frenchman,  "  have  I  not  passed  my 
word  to  the  British  general  ?     How  then  can  you 
suppose   that  I  will  cover  myself  with  dishonor 
by  breaking  it  ?     His  reliance  on  my  good  faith 
leads  him  to  put  himself  in  my  power,  and  I  should 
be  for  ever  infamous,  if  I  were  to  act  as  you  ad 
vise.     I  am  faithfully  devoted  to  the  republic ;  but 
I  will  not  serve  it  at  the  expense  of  my  con 
science  and  my  honor." 

11.  When  these  negotiations  were  settled,  he 
devoted  his  undisturbed  attention  to  the  arts  of 
peace.     And  one  of  his  first  objects  was  the  reg- 


TOUS SAINT  L'OUVERTURE.  137 

ular  cultivation  of  the  soil — upon  which  the  pros 
perity  of  every  country  materially  depends.  Sla 
very  being  now  done  away  on  the  island,  the 
planters  who  returned,  were  obliged  to  employ 
their  laborers  on  the  footing  of  hired  servants,  and 
the  negroes  were  required  to  labor  for  their  own 
subsistence. 

12.  Obliged  to  work,  but  in  a  moderate  manner, 
and  for  suitable  wages,   and  at  liberty  to  choose 
their  masters,  the  plantation  negroes  were  generally 
contented,  healthful,  and  happy  ;  and  in  due  time, 
the  island  reached  a  state  of  refinement  and  ease, 
scarcely  to  be  credited.     A  writer  who  visited  the 
island,  says, "  The  men  in  general  are  sensible  and 
polite,   and   many   of    the   women  are  very  en 
gaging." 

13.  As  the  islanders  had  thrown  off  the  shackles 
of  slavery,  it  appeared  necessary,  for  the  well- 
ordering  of  government,  that  a  new  constitution 
should  be  framed.     Toussaint,  assisted  by  some 
of  the  Europeans,  acted  a  conspicuous  part  in  this 
work,  which,  after  being  prepared,  was  submitted 
to  a  general  assembly  convened  from  every  dis 
trict,  by  whom  it  was  approved  and  adopted,  and 
proclamation  thereof  was  made  in  due  form  on  the 
first  day  of  July,  1801. 

14.  In  the  autumn  of  that  year,  every  part  of 
St.  Domingo  was  in  quiet  submission  to  the  negro 
chief,  and  rapidly  improving  in  wealth  and  happi 
ness,  under  a  wise  administration.     The  cessation 

12* 


13S  TOUSSAINT  L'OUVERTURE. 

of  hostilities  between  Great  Britain  and  France, 
gave  the  French  an  opportunity  of  turning  their 
attention  to  another  object,  which  was  that  of  en- 
deavoring  to  bring  again  the  island  of  St.  Domin 
go  under  that  government,  for  which  purpose  they 
made  such  preparations  as  they  thought  sufficient ; 
but  being  disappointed  in  their  calculations,  they 
had  recourse  to  artifice. 

15.  Toussaint,  being  sensible  of  the  value  of 
education,   and  not  finding  means  at  home  for  ac 
complishing  his  object,  had  sent  his  two  elder  sons 
to  France  for  that  purpose.     These  youths  were 
taken  from  their  studies  by  Buonaparte,  and  sent 
with  their  tutor  to  St.  Domingo,  with  a  hope  that 
Toussaint's  feelings  would  be  wrought  upon  by 
seeing  his  sons ;  and  the  tutor  had  special  orders 
from  Buonaparte  not  to  leave  them,  unless  Tous 
saint  complied  with  his  wishes  in  submitting  to 
the  French  government. 

16.  On  their  arrival   at   Cape   Francois,   they 
were    soon    conducted    to    Ennery,    Toussaint's 
country  residence.     When  they  arrived,  Toussaint 
was  absent,  but  his  faithful  wife  received  her  sons 
as  an  affectionate  mother  might  be  expected  to 
welcome  her  children  after  an  absence  of  several 
years.     Improved  both  in  stature  and  accomplish 
ments,  they  now  appeared  in  the  vigor  and  love 
liness  of  youth. 

17.  The  crafty  Frenchman,  accepting  an  invita 
tion  to  stay  until  Toussaint  should  arrive,  made 


139 

use  of  this  interval  to  persuade  his  hostess,  as  he 
had  done  many  others,  that  the  French  govern 
ment  had  no  design  against  their  freedom,  only 
that  by  submitting  they  might  be  again  united. 
This  tale  was  so  artfully  told,  that  the  unsuspect 
ing  wife,  having  a  desire  for  tranquillity  and  its 
attendant  enjoyments,  sent  a  messenger  imme 
diately  for  her  husband,  who  was  at  such  a  dis 
tance,  that,  although  he  travelled  with  all  possible 
speed,  he  did  not  reach  home  until  after  the  mid 
dle  of  the  second  night. 

18.  The  two  sons  ran  to  meet  their  father;  and 
he,  with  emotions  too  big  for  utterance,  clasped 
them  silently  in  his  arms.     Few,  who  have  any 
feelings  even   of  humanity,  could  behold  such  a 
scene  without   being   moved  thereby.      But  this 
cold-blooded  emissary   beheld  it  with  barbarous 
apathy.     When  the  first  burst  of  paternal  feeling 
had  a  little  subsided,  Toussaint  stretched  out  his 
arms  to  enclose  him  whom  he  regarded  with  re 
spect,  as  the  tutor  of  his  children,  and  their  con 
ductor  to  the  embraces  of  their  parents. 

19.  "The  father  and  the  two  sons,"  says  the 
tutor,  "  threw  themselves  into  one  another's  arms. 
I  saw  them  shed  tears,  and  wishing  to  take  advan 
tage  of  a  period  which  I  conceived  to  be  favorable, 
I  stopped  him  at  the  moment  when  he  stretched 
out  his  arms  to  me."     Retiring  from  the  embrace 
of  Toussaint,  he  endeavored  to  persuade  him  to 
accede  to  the  proposals  of  Buonaparte. 


140 


20.  Describing   in   glowing  colors   the  advan 
tage  to  be  gained  by  joining  the  French  govern 
ment  ;  declaring  that  no  design  was  entertained  of 
infringing  on  the  liberties  of  the  blacks ;  and  de 
siring  him  to  reflect  on  the  situation  of  his  chil 
dren,  who,  unless  he  would  submit,  were  to  be  im 
mediately  taken  back,   never   more,  perhaps,  to 
gladden  the  hearts  of  their  parents  ;  he  concluded 
his  perfidious  speech,  by  putting  into  Toussaint'a 
hand  a  letter  from  the  French  general  at  the  Cape, 
accompanied  by  one  from  Buonaparte. 

21.  These  letters  were  couched  in  all  the  arts 
of  intrigue,  combined  with  that  of  persuasive  elo 
quence.     In  the  letter  from  Buonaparte  was  the 
following  paragraph  :  "  We  have  made  known  to 
your  children  and  their  preceptor,  the  sentiments 
by  which  we  are  animated — we  send  them  back 
to  you.     What  can  you  desire  ?  the  freedom  of  the 
blacks  ?     You  know  that  in  all  the  countries  we 
have  been  in,  we  have  given  it  to  the  people  who 
had  it  not. 

22. "Tell the  people  of  St.  Domingo,  that,  if, 
liberty  be  to  them  the  first  of  wants,  they  cannot 
enjoy  it  but  with  the  title  of  French  citizens." — 
"  Rely  without  reserve  on  our  esteem,  and  con 
duct  yourself  as  one  of  the  principal  citizens  of 
the  greatest  nation  in  the  world  ought  to  conduct." 
Isaac,  the  elder  son,  next  addressed  his  father, 
representing  the  great  kindness  his  brother  and 
himself  had  received  from  Buonaparte,  and  the 


TOUSSAINT  L'OUVERTURE.  141 

high  esteem  he  had  professed  for  Toussaint  and 
his  family. 

23.  The  younger  son  added  something  that  he 
had  been  taught,   to  the  same   effect;  and  both, 
with  artless   eloquence,  endeavored  to  win  their 
father  to  a  purpose,   of  the  true  nature  of  which 
they  had   no   suspicion.     To    their    persuasions, 
were  also  added  the  tears  and  entreaties  of  their 
distressed  mother. 

24.  Toussaint  appeared  to  hesitate  amid  these 
tender  solicitations.     Coisnon,  the  tutor,  observing 
these  appearances  with  savage  pleasure,  got  a  little 
off   his   guard,   and   discovered  his  base  design. 
Toussaint,   gently   disengaging  himself  from  the 
embraces  of  his  wife  and  children,  took  him  into 
another  apartment,   and  gave  him  this  decision : 
"  Take  back  my  children,  since  it  must  be  so.     I 
will  be  faithful  to  my  brethren  and  my  God." 

25.  Finding  all  his  endeavors  fruitless,  Coisnon 
proposed  a  negotiation  with  the  French  general  at 
the  Cape.     Toussaint  was  unwilling  to  prolong  the 
painful  domestic  scene  by  staying  to  write  at  En- 
nery,  nor  would  he  risk  another  sight  of  his  chil 
dren  ;  but  within  two  hours  after  his  arrival  he  left 
his  home  again  :  and  writing  next  day  to  the  gen 
eral,   he   sent   the   letter  by  Granville,  the  tutor 
of  his  other  sons,  who  overtook  Coisnon  and  the 
two  lads,  on  their  way  to  the  Cape. 

26.  By  this  negotiation,  Toussaint  was  not  able 
to  obtain  his  desired  object ;  which  was  the  inde- 


142 

pendence  of  that  republic.  This  was  in  the  early 
part  of  1 802  ;  and  the  French  troops,  after  spend 
ing  several  months  in  unsuccessful  attempts  to 
bring  the  negroes  into  subjection,  becoming  very 
sickly,  the  whole  city  was  like  an  hospital,  and 
great  numbers  fell  victims  to  the  pestilential  dis 
ease. 

27.  The  French,  by  their  frequent  proclama 
tions,  and  their  declarations  to  maintain  liberty  and 
equality  on  the  island,  at  length  gained  many  of 
the  blacks,  among  whom  were  Christophe,  and  a 
brother  of  Toussaint's.     Negotiations  were  again 
entered   into  with  Toussaint,  and  an  agreement 
made,  that  he,  with  the  before-mentioned  brother, 
and   Christophe,  should  be  honored  with  a  digni 
fied  retirement  from  public  life ;  and  by  the  first 
week  in  May,  all  things  were  fixed. 

28.  A  letter  from  the  French  general  contained 
the  following  passage  : — "  With  regard  to  yourself, 
you  desire  repose,   and  you  deserve  it.     I  leave 
you  at  liberty  to  retire   to  which  of  your  estates 
you  please."     Toussaint  retired  to  a  small  planta 
tion,  called  by  his  own  name,  situated  on  the  south 
west  part  of  the  island. 

29.  There,  in  the  bosom  of  his  remaining  family, 
(for  his  two  sons  who  had  been  under  the  care  of 
Coisnon,  were  never  heard  of  after  their  return  to 
the  Cape  with  their  perfidious  tutor,)  he  entered 
into  the  enjoyment  of  that  repose  of  which  he  had 


143 

long  been  deprived.  But  the  French  general  no 
sooner  perceived  the  confidence  Toussaint  had 
placed  in  him,  than  he  committed  one  of  the 
basest  acts  of  treachery. 

30.  About  ten  days  after  Toussaint  retired  to 
his  plantation,  (where  it  is  probable  he  was  engaged 
in  laying  plans  for  the  comfortable  enjoyment  of 
the  domestic  circle  in  his  declining  age,)  under 
cover  of  the  night,  and  while  himself  and  the  faith 
ful  companion  of  all  his  cares,  were,  with  their 
family,  wrapped  in  silent  sleep,  unconscious  of  their 
danger,  a  band  of  soldiers  surrounded  his  house, 
some  of  them  entering  his  chamber,  and  command 
ed  him,  with  all  his  family,  to  go  immediately  on 
board  a  vessel  then  in  the  harbor. 

31.  Resistance  being  useless,  he  quietly  submit 
ted  to  his  own  fate,  but  for  his  feeble  wife  and  in 
nocent  children,  he  asked  the  privilege  of  remain 
ing  at  home  :  this  request,  however  just,  was  not 
granted.     And  before  their  friends  and  neighbors 
had  any  knowledge  of  it,  the  family,  including  the 
daughter  of  a  deceased  brother,  were  on  board  the 
vessel  and  under  sail ;  and  they  were  taken  direct 
ly  to  France. 

32.  To  justify  this  base  act,  the  French  general 
circulated  a  report,  that  Toussaint  had  engaged  in 
a  conspiracy ;  but  the  time  was  so  short,  that  there 
could  have  been  no  grounds  even  for  suspicion  of 
such  a  thing.     On  their  passage  to  France,  he  waa 


144  TOUSSAINT    I/OUVERTURK, 

refused  all  intercourse  with  his  family;  he  was 
confined  to  his  cabin,  and  the  door  was  guarded 
by  soldiers. 

33.  When  they  arrived  at  Brest,  no  time  was 
lost  in  hurrying  him  on  shore — on  the  deck  only, 
was  he  permitted  to  have  an  interview  with  his 
wife  and  children,  whom  he  was  to  meet  no  more 
in  this  life.     The  separation  of  this  faithful  pair 
and  their  beloved  offspring,  was   such  as  might 
have  been  expected ;  and  it  excited,  in  those  who 
beheld  it,  compassion  for  their  fate. 

34.  Toussaint  was  conveyed  in  a  close  carriage 
to  the  castle  of  Joux,  in  Normandy,  where  he  was 
put  into  close  confinement,  with  only  one  attend 
ant,    who    was    as    closely   confined   as   himself. 
Toussaint's  family  were  detained  at  Brest  for  two 
months,  and  then  removed  to  Bayonne.     From  that 
time  they  disappeared  from  the  land  of  the  living, 
but  by  what  means,  it  is  unknown. 

35.  At  the  approach  of  winter,  Toussaint  was 
taken  to  Besan^on,  and  there  confined  in  a  cold^ 
damp,  and  gloomy  dungeon,  like  one  of  the  worst 
criminals.      It  has  been  confidently  asserted  by 
respectable  authority^  that  the  floor  of  the  dungeon 
was  covered  with  water. 

36.  Let  the  reader  imagine  the  dreadful  situa 
tion  of  such  a  prison,  to  one  who  had  been  born, 
and  who  had  lived  nearly  three-score  years,  enjoy 
ing  the  necessaries,  and  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
time,  even  the  luxuries  of  life,  in  a  West  India 


BILLY    AND   JEXNY. 


>45 


elimate,  and  he  must  feel  a  tender  compassion  for 
the  poor,  afflicted,  suffering  Toussaint ! 

37.  In  this  deplorable  situation,  without  any  al 
leviation,  he  lingered  through  the  winter,  and  died 
in  the  spring  of  the  following  year.  His  death 
was  announced  in  the  French  papers  of  the  27th. 
of  April,  1803. 


BILLY  AND  JENNY. 

ABOUT  the  year  1738,  a  man  and  his  wife, 
named  Tom  and  Caty,  who  were  in  bondage  to 
Thomas  Bowne,  on  Long  Island,  had  a  little  son 
whom  they  called  Billy.  This  little  boy,  when 
old  enough  to  work,  was  sold  to  a  farmer  in  the 
neighborhood;  who,  according  to  the  custom  of 
those  days,  went  with  his  servants  into  the  field, 
and  allotted  to  each  one  his  portion  of  labor.  By 
this  means,  Billy  became  acquainted  with  the  dif 
ferent  branches  of  husbandry,  and  was  inured  to 
industry. 

2.  With  this  farmer,  he  was  pretty  comfortably 
cared  for,  and  kept  to  his  daily  labor  until  the 
thirty-first  year  of  his  age.  About  the  year  1744, 
the  master  of  one  of  those  ships  employed  in 
bringing  the  poor  Africans  from  their  native  land, 
among  others,  brought  away  a  little  girl — too 
13 


146  BILLY    AND    JENNY. 

young,  alas !  to  tell  even  by  what  means,  or  in 
what  way  she  was  taken. 

3.  Neither  was  she  capable  of  telling  the  sit 
uation  in   which  she  left  her  bereaved  parents ; 
\vho,  if  they   were   not  taken  themselves,  must 
have   had  many  anxieties  and  sorrowful  moments, 
known  only  to  those  who  are  parents,  and  who 
may  have  been  deprived  of  their  children  in  a  sim 
ilar  way.     Her  being  maiked  on  the  forehead  and 
temples,  indicated  her  parents'  being  persons  of 
distinction. 

4.  This  little  girl,  after  suffering  all  the  hard 
ships  attendant  on  her  situation,  and  a  long  confine 
ment  on  shipboard,  was  landed  in  New  York,  and 
sold  according  to  the  custom  of  that  time.     She 
was  bought  by   Samuel  Underbill,  and  taken  to 
Long  Island  to  wait  on  his  wife  and  children,  and 
they  called  her  Jenny.     As  she  advanced  in  age, 
she  became  more  and  more  useful  in  her  master's 
family,  and  satisfied  with  her  situation. 

5.  Her  mistress  being  a  woman  of  an  uncom 
monly  amiable  disposition,  having  known  the  sub 
jugation  of  her  own  will,  by  the  operation  of  that 
principle  which  brings  into  harmony  all  the  dis 
cordant  passions,  and  one  of  that  description  also, 
that  "  looked  well  to  the  ways  of  her  household, 
and  ate  not  the  bread  of  idleness,"  she  was  quali 
fied  to  govern   her  family  with  mildness  and  dis 
cretion,  and  to  set  them  an  example  of  economy, 
sobriety,  cheerfulness,  and  industry. 


BILLY    AND    JENNY.  147 

6.  Jenny,  being  placed  under  the  tuition  of  such 
a  mistress,  in  due  time  became  qualified  to  fill  the 
station  allotted  her  with  propriety,  as  an  honest, 
sober,  industrious,  and  useful  servant.     When  she 
had  arrived  at  about  the  twentieth  year  of  her  age, 
she  was  visited  by  the  before-mentioned  Billy,  in 
the  character  of  a  suitor.     After  mature  delibera 
tion,  and  their  affections  becoming  more  strongly 
fixed,  with  the  approbation  of  those  concerned,  the 
marriage  ceremony  was  performed. 

7.  Thus  were  they  united,  not  only  in  the  bonds 
of  wedlock,  but  those  of  sincere  affection,  which 
abundantly  manifested  itself  in  their  conduct  to 
ward  and  respect  for  each  other,  during  a  long  and 
laborious   life,  and  in  their  care  of  their  numerous 
offspring,  which  consisted  of  nine   sons   and  one 
daughter. 

8.  Time  passing  on  with  them,  they  partook  of 
such  a  share  of  happiness  as  their  situation  in  life 
would  permit,  until  the  year  1769,  when  the  mas 
ter  of  Jenny,   having  purchased  a  farm  in  West- 
chester  county,  was  preparing  to  remove  his  fam 
ily  thither.      This  circumstance   became   a  very 
close   trial  to  this  affectionate  pair,  who  by  this 
time  had  several  children. 

9.  The  thoughtfulness  and  anxiety  felt  by  them 
on  this  occasion  being  reciprocated  by  their  mas 
ters,   a  proposition  was  made  for  an   exchange. 
The  wife  of  one  of  Billy's  fellow-servants  being 
in  the  family  with  Jenny,  accommodations  were 


148  BILLY    AND  JENNY. 

soon  made,  and  Billy  was  admitted  a  resident  in 
the  family  with  his  beloved  partner :  when  they 
all  proceeded  to  their  new  settlement,  where  they 
lived  in  harmony  and  concord  for  many  years,  and 
until  their  master's  children  were  all  married  and 
settled. 

10.  During  this  period,  Billy  and  Jenny,  with  all 
their  children,  \?ere  liberated  by  their  master,  and 
such  of  them  as  were   old  enough,  were  placed 
where  they  might  be  brought  up  to  habits  of  in 
dustry,  and  be  prepared  to  provide  for  themselves 
a  comfortable  subsistence,  but  Billy  and  Jenny  re 
mained  with  him. 

11.  Age  and  infirmity  at  length  put  a  period  to 
their  kind  master's  life.     And  his  family,  being 
thus  deprived  of  his  care  and  exertions,  were  in 
duced   to  leave  their  abode.     The  mistress,  who 
had  long  exercised  an  affectionate  care  over  her 
household,  finding  herself  lonely,  retired   to  live 
with  her  children.     And  with  her  youngest  son, 
she  remained  to  an  advanced  age,  and  was  then 
gathered    into    rest,  as    a   shock    of  corn    in  its 
season. 

12.  Billy  and   Jenny,  having  a  house  provided 
for  them,  remained  under  the  care  of  their  former 
master's  descendants,  and  with  their  own  industry, 
and  the  generosity  of  their  friends,  they  were  com 
fortably  situated.     But  when  Billy  was  so  disabled 
by  infirmity,  that  he  could  not  work  as  a  day 


BILLY    AND    JENNT.  149 

laborer,  he  cultivated  a  little  garden,  and  did  some 
light  jobs  for  his  neighbors.}  ;i> 

13.  Their   children  being  out,  while   Jenny's 
health   and   strength  remained,   she  went  out  to 
washing  and  house-cleaning.     Billy  generally  wait 
ed  on  her  to  the  place  of  destination,  and  then,  re 
turning  to  his  habitation,  nursed  his  garden  and 
poultry  until  toward  evening,  when  he  would  go 
to   accompany   her  home.     More  genuine  polite 
ness  and  unremitting  attention,  between  a   man 
and   his  wife,  are  rarely  to  be  found,  in  city  or 
country,  than  were  manifested  by  this  sable  pair. 

14.  Thus  they  lived  several  years;  but  Jenny 
at  length  became  enfeebled  by  age,  and  her  sight 
failed,  so  that  she  was  no  longer  capable  of  labor 
ing  abroad,  or  using  her  spinning  wheel  at  home, 
as  heretofore,  which  made  it  necessary  for  them  to 
be  placed  in   a  different  situation.     One  winter, 
while  they  remained  at  housekeeping,  there  came 
a  very  severe  snow  storm,  with  high  wind,  so  that 
passing  from  one  place  to  another  was  rendered 
very  difficult  for  several  days. 

15.  As  soon  as  practicable,  their  friend  who  had 
the  care  of  them,  and  supplied  their  wants,  went 
to  see  how  they  fared  ;  when  Jenny,  meeting  him 
at  the  door,  and  being  asked  how  they  were,  &c., 
said,  "  0  Master  Richard,  I  am  wonderful  glad  to 
see  thee — if  the  storm  had  lasted  much  longer,  I 
believe  we  should  have  froze  to  death  ;  our  wood 

13* 


150  BILLY    AND    JENNY. 

was  'most  gone,  and  Billy  is  one  of  the  honestest 
negurs  in  the  world ;  for  he  had  rather  freeze  to 
death  than  steal  a  rail  from  the  fence."  This  cir 
cumstance  is  recorded  as  one  specimen  of  their 
honest  simplicity. 

16.  In  the  spring  of  1815,  they  were  removed 
to  the  habitation  of  one  of  their  sons,  where  they 
were   boarded ;    and   there   they   remained,    until 
death,  the  destroyer  of  all  earthly  comforts,  put  a 
period  to  Jenny's  life,  after  a  few  days'  severe  ill 
ness,  about  the  seventy-eighth  year  of  her  age. 

17.  The  same  affectionate  attachment  that  per 
vaded  her  mind  in  youth  and  in  health,  remained 
unshaken  to  the  last.     Her  sight,   as  before  re 
marked,  being  almost  gone,  when  lying  on   her 
bed,  she  frequently  inquired  for  Billy;  but  when 
she  was  told  he  was  hang  behind  her,  or  sitting 
by  her,  she  was  satisfied. 

18.  Thus  she  closed  a  long  and  laborious  life, 
beloved  and  respected  for  her  many  good  qual 
ities,  and   her  consistent  conduct.      Billy  died  at 
Scarsdale,  Westchester  county,  New  York,  on  the 
4th  of  3d  month,  1826,  after  a  few  days'  illness, 
aged  about  eighty-seven  years,  and  was  decently 
interred  by  the  side  of  Jenny,  on  the  6th  of  the 
same  month. 


GEORGE    HARDY.  151 


GEORGE  HARDY. 

Of  a  truth,  I  perceive  that  God  is  no  respecter  of  persons ;  but 
in  every  nation,  he  that  feareth  him  and  worketh  righteousness,  ia 
accepted  with  him.— Acts  x.  34,  35. 

DURING  the  winter  of  1832,  the  writer  of  the 
narrative  of  which  this  account  is  an  abridgment, 
became  acquainted  with  Hannah  Hardy,  an  inter 
esting  old  colored  woman,  and  her  son  George. 
They  were  the  suffering  tenants  of  a  miserable 
garret,  lighted  only  by  a  few  panes  of  glass,  and 
ill-secured  from  the  inclemencies  of  the  weather. 

2.  Hannah  had  been  an  industrious  woman,  who 
supported   herself    comfortably   for   many   years, 
until  her  sight,  which  had  long  been  declining,  so 
nearly  left  her,  as  to  disqualify  her  for  all  kinds  of 
work.     George,  who  was  her  youngest  son,  dis 
closed  in  his  earliest  years  great  quickness  of  dis 
cernment   and   readiness   of   apprehension.      He 
could  read  the  Bible  when  only  four  years  old; 
and   he  continued  to  be  remarkable  for  docility, 
and  for  preferring  his  books  and  other  profitable 
employments  to  the  idle  sports  of  children. 

3.  When  about  eleven  years  old,  he  was  placed 
from  home,  where  he  remained  until  four  years 
since,  when  he  became  so  much  diseased  with 
scrofula  as  to  make  it  necessary  for  him  to  returu 


152  GEORGE  HARDY. 

to  his  mother.  From  that  time,  she  became  h;s 
constant  and  only  nurse,  and  evinced,  through 
numberless  privations  and  difficulties,  the  most 
unwearied  attention  and  patient  endurance. 

4.  He  assisted  her  in  dressing  his  sores,  which 
had  attained  such  a  height  as  to  prevent  his  walk 
ing  without  the  assistance  of  crutches.     When  he 
•was  able  to  sit  up  and  use  his  arms,  he  made  rope 
mats ;  by  which,  with  casual  help  from  his  friends, 
he  supported  his  mother  and  paid  her  rent.     He 
always  mended  his  own  and  her  clothes,  and  al 
lowed  no  time  to  pass  away  in  idleness,  which  he 
was  able  to  employ ;  and  so  cheerful,  so  thankful, 
and  so  happy  did  this  interesting  couple  appear, 
that  it  afforded  a  lesson  of  instruction  to  be  with 
them. 

5.  Hannah,  who  could  only  distinguish  the  glare 
of  noon  from  the  gloom  of  darkness,  had  lived  so- 
long  in  the  forlorn  tenement  they  then  inhabited, 
and  knew  so  well  all  the  turnings  of  its  steep  and 
dangerous  stairs,  that  she  could  not  bear  to  hear 
the  proposal  from  some  of  her  friends  to  provide 
one  more  comfortable.     Through  the  latter  part  of 
the  winter,  and  the  commencement  of  the  spring, 
George's   sufferings   greatly   increased ;    he    was 
wholly  confined  to  his  bed,  and  so  emaciated  with 
pain  and  disease,  that  although  he  was  seventeen 
years  of  age,  his  arms  were  not  thicker  than  an 
infant's. 

6.  He  had  been  a  diligent  reader  of  the  Holy 


GEORGE     HARDY.  153 

Scriptures  ;  and  though  he  told  me  they  had  heen 
to  him  a  sealed  book,  until  he  was  brought  to  that 
bed  of  suffering,  yet  it  was  evident  that  his  mind 
had  long  been  enabled  to  appropriate  to  its  own 
necessities  many  of  their  precious  precepts. 
Though  he  labored  under  the  combined  effects  of 
scrofula  and  dropsy,  in  their  highest  degrees  of  vir 
ulence,  yet  I  never  heard  him  repine ;  and  often, 
while  suffering  extreme  bodily  anguish,  he  would 
speak  of  the  relief  it  afforded  the  poor  afflicted 
body,  to  have  the  mind  composed  and  tranquil,  and 
would  say,  "  O,  I  feel  like  a  poor  worm  in  the  fire, 
yet  all  I  desire  is,  to  be  favored  with  patience  to 
bear  all  my  pain,  and  with  a  willing  mind  to  wait 
the  Master's  will  to  take  me  away." 

7.  For  many  days  and  nights  together  he  was 
able  to  obtain  but  little  sleep ;  yet  he  showed  no 
marks  of  restlessness  or  discontent.     Once,  call- 
ing  me  to  his  bedside,  he  said,  "  I  am  afraid  I  am 
not  patient  enough ;  but  I  often  feel  very  weary, 
and  I  fear  I  shall  wear  my  poor  mother  out.     I 
am  more  concerned  for  her  than  for  myself — what 
should  I  do  for  a  care-taker  if  she  were  gone  ? 
She  is  very  kind  to  me,  and  I  have  many  kind 
friends.     I  am  afraid  I  am  not  grateful  enough  for 
all  my  favors.     To  some,  this  garret  would  look 
like  a  dull  place,  but  it  never  looks  gloomy  to  me ; 
I  have  had  more  pleasure  in  it  than  I  could  have 
had  in  the  nicest  parlor." 

8.  Having  called  one  day  after  he  had  passed  a 


154  GEORGE    HARDY. 

sleepless  and  languishing  night,  I  found  him,  with 
the  Bible  fixed  before  him,  reading.  He  looked 
animated,  and  said,  "  I  always  loved  to  read  the 
Bible,  but  I  never  understood  it  until  very  lately  : 
now  I  understand  it,  and  I  find  that  religion  and 
pleasure  are  in  no  way  inconsistent.  I  feel  now 
that  I  shall  never  recover.  I  am  willing  to  die, 
and  I  shall  be  happy  when  I  am  gone  from  eartn 
— but  the  Lord  is  very  merciful  and  can  make  me 
happy  as  long  as  he  chooses  that  I  should  stay.  I 
have  trusted  in  him  through  pain  and  through 
want,  and  I  believe  he  will  never  forsake  me. 
My  faith  has  sometimes  been  closely  tried,  but  I 
never  let  go  my  confidence." 

9.  His  disease  now  rapidly  increased,  and  with 
it  his   suffering.     On  the  23d  of  Fifth  month,  he 
conversed  a  long  time  with  the  doctor,  and  seemed 
more  comfortable  than  usual ;  but  he  passed  a  sleep 
less  and  distressing  night.     The  next  day,  he  was 
able  to  take  but  little  nourishment,  owing  to  the 
great  soreness   of  his  mouth  and  throat,   but  he 
could  converse  intelligibly,  and  seemed  anxious  to 
do  so.     About  two  o'clock  this  day,  I  found  him 
in  great  pain,  but  quite  tranquil  in  mind. 

10.  On  my  going  to  him,  he  said,  "  My  suffer 
ings  are  now  nearly  over ;  I  shall  not  live  many 
days — not  more  than  two.     The  Lord's  time  has 
nearly  come,  and  then  he  will  take  me  where  I 
shall  never  suffer  any  more.     0,  how  marvellous 

:£      £" 


GEOfcGE    HARDY.  155 

his  mercy  is,  to  look  down  upon  such  a  polluted 
sinner  as  I  am  ! 

'I  the  worst  of  sinners  am, 
But  Jesus  came  to  save  me.'— 

Yes,  he  will  save  me — I  know  it.  I  have  a  hope — 
a  pretty  certain  hope — 0,  it  is  a  very  certain  hope 
— it  is  a  very  sure  hope."  He  then,  in  a  low  and 
indistinct  voice,  supplicated  for  many  minutes; 
after  which  he  said,  "  I  have  been  talking  to  my 
Saviour." 

11.  Not  expecting  him  to  hear,  I  asked  his 
mother  if  he  had  always  been  a  serious  boy ;  but 
before  she  could  reply,  George  said,  "No!  I  was 
always  bad,  always  wicked ;  but  since  I  was 
brought  to  this  bed  of  sickness,  I  have  sought  for 
repentance,  and  I  have  found  it :  my  sins  were  as 
scarlet,  but  now  they  are  washed  as  white  as 
snow.  But  it  is  all  mercy,  pure  mercy  ;  we  have 
no  righteousness  of  our  own  to  depend  upon — no 
works,  no  merit  of  our  own  will  avail  us  at  such  a 
time  as  this.  If  these  were  all  we  had  to  look  to, 
we  should  never  be  saved.  But  this  is  what  Jesus 
came  into  the  world  for — to  save  us  poor  sinners ; 
and  salvation  belongs  to  him  alone." 
\  12.  After  this,  he  desired  me  to  read  to  him  in 
the  Bible — said  he  would  like  to  hear  me  read  in 
the  Psalms,  where  David  deplored  his  sins.  I  did 
so,  and  he  afterward  composed  himself  and  slept 


156  CORNELIUS. 

a  few  minutes  ;  but  the  pain  soon  awoke  him,  and 
he  said,  "  I  hope  my  patience  will  hold  out — I 
must  not  get  impatient  so  near  the  end." 

13.  On  the  25th,  his  sufferings  greatly  increas 
ed,  and  on  the  afternoon  of  the  26th,  he  was  un 
able  longer  to  speak,  but  he  appeared  to  be  sen 
sible  of  what  was  passing,  and  to  know  those  about 
him.  He  several  times  embraced  his  mother  very 
tenderly  and  wept.  The  impress  which  the  pain 
and  anguish  of  the  preceding  day  had  left  upon 
his  countenance,  now  yielded  to  a  placid  and  heav 
enly  serenity  ;  and  his  breath  continued  to  shorten, 
until  he  ceased  to  breathe,  about  12  o'clock  on 
Firstday. 


CORNELIUS. 

DIED,  at  St.  Croix,  in  the  West  Indies,  in  1801, 
a  man  of  color  named  Cornelius.  This  man  was 
in  many  respects  distinguished  among  his  country 
men.  About  fifty  years  ago,  he  became  concerned 
for  the  salvation  of  his  soul,  and  attended  the 
preaching  and  instruction  of  Frederick  Martin,  who 
treated  him  with  particular  kindness.  In  1749,  he 
was  baptized,  and  ever  after  continued  steadfast  in 
his  profession. 

2.  He  learned  the  business  of  a  mason,  and  was 


CORNELIUS.  1 57 

appointed  master  mason  to  the  royal  buildings ; 
and  he  laid  the  foundation  of  each  of  the  six  chap 
els  belonging  to  the  mission  in  those  islands.  He 
was  able  to  write  and  speak  several  languages. 
He  continued  a  slave  until  1767— having  first  pur 
chased  the  freedom  of  his  wife,  and  then  labored 
hard  to  gain  his  own  liberty,  which  he  effected, 
and  also  that  of  six  children. 

3.  After  his   emancipation,  he   exerted  himself 
greatly  in  the  service  of  the  Lord,  among  his  own 
people   particularly;  often   spending  whole   days 
and  nights  visiting  them  on  the  different  planta 
tions.     He  possessed  a  peculiar  talent  for  express 
ing  his  ideas  with  clearness,  which  rendered  his 
discourses  pleasing  and  edifying,  as  well  to  white 
people  as  to  those  of  his  own  color.     To  assist  the 
feeble  and  indigent,  was  the  delight  of  his  heart ; 
and   they  always  found   in   him   a   sympathizing 
friend  and  faithful  adviser. 

4.  While  thus  zealously  exerting  himself  in  pro 
moting  the  welfare  of  others,  he  did  not  neglect 
the  concerns  of  his  own  family.     He  gave  proof 
of  his  care  for  their  temporal  prosperity,  by  work 
ing  hard  to  purchase  their  freedom ;  but  he  was 
more  solicitous  for  the  welfare  of  their  souls,  and 
his  instructions  were  blessed. 

5.  The  infirmities  of  age  increasing  upon  him, 
he  was  fearful  there  was  a  declension  in  his  love 
to  Jesus  Christ.     A  few  days  before  his  end,  he 

said  to  a  friend  who  visited  him,  "  I  ought  to  have 
14 


158  CORNELIUS. 

done  more,  and  loved  and  served  my  Saviour  bet 
ter.  Yet  I  firmly  trust  that  he  will  receive  me  in 
mercy,  for  I  come  to  him  as  a  poor  sinner,  having 
nothing  to  plead  but  his  grace  and  righteousness, 
through  his  blood." 

6.  His  children,  and  several  of  his  grand-chil 
dren  being  around  his  bed,  he  addressed  them  in  a 
very  solemn  and  impressive  manner,  to  the  follow 
ing  effect : — "  I  rejoice  exceedingly,  my  dearly  be 
loved  children,  to  see  you  once  more  together  be 
fore  my  departure  ;  for  I  believe  my  Saviour  will 
soon  come,  and  take  your  father  to  himself.  You 
know,  dear  children,  what  my  chief  concern  has 
been  respecting  you,  as  long  as  I  was  with  you  ; 
and  how  frequently  I  have  exhorted  you  not  to 
neglect  the  day  of  grace,  but  to  surrender  your 
selves,  soul  and  body,  to  your  Redeemer,  and  to 
follow  him  faithfully 

7."Sometimes  I  have  dealt  strictly  with  you,  in 
matters  which  I  believed  would  bring  harm  to 
your  souls,  and  grieve  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  I 
have  exerted  my  parental  authority  to  prevent  mis 
chief  ;  but  it  was  all  done  out  of  love  to  you.  If 
I  have  sometimes  been  too  severe,  I  beg  you  to 
forgive  me — 0  !  forgive  your  poor  dying  father !" 
Here  he  was  obliged  to  stop,  most  of  the  children 
weeping  aloud. 

8.  At  last,  one  of  the  daughters  recovering  her 
self,  said,  "  We,  dear  father,  we  alone  have  cause 
to  ask  forgiveness,  for  we  have  often  made  your 


CORNELIUS.  159 

life  heavy,  and  have  been  disobedient  children." 
The  rest  joined  in  the  same  confession.  The 
father  then  continued  :  "  Well,  my  dear  children, 
if  all  of  you  are  satisfied,  then  attend  to  my  last 
wish  and  dying  request, — 

9.  "  Love    one    another !     Do   not   suffer  any 
quarrels  and  disputes  to  rise  among  you  after  my 
decease.     No,  my   children,"    raising    his    voice, 
"  love  one  another  cordially.     Let  each  strive  to 
show  proofs  of  love  to  his  brother  or  sister ;  and 
suffer  not  yourselves  to  be  tempted  by  any  thing 
to  become  proud  ;  for  by  that  you  may  even  miss 
your  souls'  salvation;  but  pray  for  lowly  minds 
and  humble  hearts. 

10.  "If  you  follow  this  advice  of  your  father,  I 
shall  see  you  again  in  eternal  bliss,  and  be  able  to 
say,  '  Here,  Lord,  is  thy  poor  unworthy  Cornelius, 
and  the  children  thou  hast  given  me.'     I  am  sure 
our  Saviour  will  not  forsake  you ;  but  I  beseech 
you,  do  not  forsake  him"     He  fell  gently  asleep 
in  Jesus,  on  the  29th  of  November,  1801  ;  being, 
according  to  his  own  account,  eighty-four  years  of 
age. 


•. 


r d  li  t .  ^"^ 


160  SIMEON   WILHELM. 


SIMEON    WILHELM 

WAS  born  on  the  west  coast  of  Africa,  about 
the  year  1800.  When  nine  years  old,  he  was 
taken  into  the  missionary  school  at  Bashia,  not  far 
from  the  place  of  his  birth.  He  was  of  a  teachable, 
affectionate  disposition,  and  a  pleasing  countenance, 
and  very  much  gratified  with  the  pains  taken  to  in 
struct,  not  only  himself,  but  other  African  children, 
in  piety  and  literature. 

2.  Having  heard,  that  where   the   missionaries 
came  from,  the  people  were  all  called  Christians, 
he  was  desirous  of  going  thither,  that  he   might 
qualify  himself  to  be  useful  to  his   countrymen. 
His  father  wishing  him  to  go,  Mr.  Bickersteth  con 
sented  to  bring  him,  if  he  would  promise  to  do 
what  he  bid  him. 

3.  Simeon  agreed  to  do  every  thing  he  wished 
him  to  do,  and  he  never  broke  his  promise.    They 
left  Africa  in  July,  1816,  and  in  a  little  more  than 
a  month,  they  reached  England.    On  landing,  many 
things  attracted  his  notice :  but  nothing  gave  him 
so  much  pleasure  as  the  attendance  of  religious 
meetings. 

4.  He  was  placed  in  the  National  School,  in 
Shoe  Lane,  where  he  soon  rose  to  the  first  class ; 
but  being  unwell,  it  was  feared  that  the  climate 
would  not  suit  his  constitution,  and  a  proposition 


SIMEON    WILHELM.  161 

was  made  for  him  to  return  to  Africa,  "which  agi 
tated  him  very  much,  and  he  said  to  a  person  who 
was  conversing  with  him  on  the  subject,  "You  send 
me  back  to  my  country  people  ?  I  have  not  got 
good  learning  yet — I  not  teach  them — I  do  them 
no  good." 

5.  The  person  replied,  "You  know,  Simeon, 
that  if  you  stay  here,  it  is  most  likely  you  will  die, 
and  then  you  cannot  be  useful  to  them  :  but  if  you 
go   back,  you  may  learn  what  is  good  in  Africa." 
He  then  raised  himself  up  in  bed,  threw  his  arms 
around  the  neck  of  his  friend,  and  said,  "  If  I  die, 
that  be  God's  will — God  do  right :  but  if  I  live,  and 
stay  here,  then  I  learn  so  that  I  teach  my  country 
people  about  Jesus  Christ.     I  do  not  like  to  leave 
you." 

6.  As  he  thus  cheerfully  resigned  his  life  to 
God,  it  was  thought  best  to  indulge  him  with  stay 
ing.     He  gradually  recovered  from  his  sickness, 
and   his  gratitude,  exemplary  conduct,  and  meek 
and  affectionate  spirit,  increased  the  love  of  those 

bout  him.  When  the  Scriptures  were  read  and 
explained  in  the  family,  he  was  always  attentive  ; 
and  in  a  short  time  he  became  so  well  acquainted 
with  them,  that  he  could  readily  find  passages 
when  adverted  to. 

7.  He  had  been  taught  a  strict  observance  of  the 
Sabbath,  and  a  reverence  for  the   Sacred  Name ; 
and  when  he  saw  the  one  violated,  and  the  other 

taken  in  an  irreverent  manner,  it  shocked  his  feel- 

14* 


162  SIMEON   WIL1IELM. 

ings  very  much.  And  having  a  great  abhorrence 
to  lying,  he  never  was  known  to  deviate  from  the 
truth  on  any  occasion. 

8.  Not  many  months  after  Simeon's  arrival, 
another  black  boy  came  from  Africa,  named  John 
Maxwell.  He  went  to  the  same  school,  and  they 
became  very  intimate ;  but  John,  not  having  those 
serious  impressions  on  his  mind,  often  committed 
faults  with  which  Simeon  was  grieved,  and  he 
manifested  toward  him  a  truly  Christian  disposi 
tion,  and  advised  and  cautioned  him  in  an  impres 
sive  manner. 

9.  Not  long  before  his  last  sickness,  he  attended 
a  meeting  of  the  Clerkenwell  Missionary  Associa 
tion,  where  much  was    said,   and  very    feelingly, 
concerning  his   countrymen,  which  affected  him 
deeply,  and  he  was  sensible  that  the  Lord's  good 
ness  extended  to  people  of  all  colors,  and   of  all 
climes.    He  was  confined  to  his  bed  on  the  16th  of 
July,  and  the  servants  of  the  family  waited  on  him 
with  unwearied  affection.     He  was   attended  by 
medical  men,  who  strove  to  recover  him  to  health 
and  usefulness,  but  they  could  not. 

10.  A  person  who  watched  over  him  with  kind 
and  affectionate  attention  during  his   illness,  has 
furnished  the  following  information  :  "  He  delight 
ed  in  prayer,  and  in  hearing  the  Bible  read  to  him; 
and  he  reminded  me  of  a  tender  lamb,  which  the 
faithful  Shepherd  bears  in  his  arms,  and  nurses  in 
his  bosom.    I  asked  him  sometimes  if  he  was  com- 


SIMEON    WILHELM.  163 

forted  in  Iiis  mind.  *  Can  you  think  on  the 
Saviour  ?*  '  Yes/  '  Have  you  hope  that  your  sins 
are  forgiven  you  V  '  0  yes — he  has  shed  his  blood 
for  me.' 

11.  "  He  was  very  grateful  for  every  thing  that 
was  done  for  him.    He  desired  me  one  day  to  read 
some  chapters  in  the  Bible.     I  read  the  third  and 
seventeenth  chapters  of  John,  and  made  some  re 
marks  on  them.     After  being  silent  about  half  an 
hour,  he  said, '  True  repentance  !  pardoning  grace  ! 
sanctification  !'  and  frequently  repeated  them.     I 
asked  him  if  he  wanted  any  thing.     He  answered, 
'  No  !  I  must  be  silent  and  pray.   I  have  very  much 
to.  think    respecting  true    repentance.9     He  was 
very  silent  through  the  night,  and  much  occupied 
in  prayer. 

12.  "  At  another  time,  after  I  had  prayed  with 
him,  and  desired  that  the  Lord  would  give  him  pa 
tience,  and  teach  him  by  his  Holy  Spirit,  that  all 
afflictions  which  he  sends  to  his  children,  work  to 
gether  for  their  good,  he  said,  *  God  hear  this  pray 
er,'  and  soon  after,  *  Amen  !  God  hear  this  prayer.' 
One  evening  he   said, '  Pray,  and  read  the  Bible  ; 
when  I  hear  you  read  or  pray,  then  I  am  comfort 
ed.    Does  Mr.  B — — '  (who  was  gone  on  a  journey) 
*  know  I  am  sick  ?'     I  answered,  '  Yes,  and  he  will 
pray  for  you.'     Smiling,  and  clasping  his  hands,  he 
said,  '  Yes,  he  will ;    and  he  will  send  a  letter  to 
Simeon — ah  !  dear  massa ! 

13.  "In  the  fourth  week,  his  illness  had  consid- 


164  8IMEON   WILHELM. 

erably  increased,  and  his  mental  faculties  were  af 
fected,  and  he  observed  that  his  memory  was  short 
through  sickness,  but  he  loved  his  Bible,  and  was 
glad  to  hear  it  read  during  the  sleepless  hours  of 
night.  When  he  was  spoken  to,  he  would  often 
say,  c  I  must  be  silent :  I  have  much  to  think  of, 
and  to  pray  for ;  I  must  be  really  converted.' 

14.  "  The  Holy  Spirit  seemed  to  be  more  and 
more  preparing   him   for   his    heavenly  mansion. 
After  I  had  communicated  something  comfortable 
to  him,  he  remarked,  with  a  smiling  countenance, 
'That  is  a  joyful  message' — meaning  it  was  adapt 
ed  to  his  state — *  I  am  comfortable — I  feel  no  pain 
— all  is  over — I  pray  only  that  I  may  love  the 
Saviour  more,  who  is  so  kind  to  me.'     It  was  de 
lightful  to  see  him  so  happy. 

15.  "  He  one  day  asked  for  some  paper,  and 
tried  to  write,  but  being  too  weak  to  hold  the  pen, 
he  said,  *  Mr.   Decker,  tell  the  boys  at  Bashia,1 
naming  four  of  them,  '  that  Simeon  is  going  to  the 
Saviour  in  heaven,  but  he  prays  with  his  dying 
lips  to  the  Lord,  that  they  may  turn  with  all  their 
hearts  to  Jesus,  and  may  be  really  converted  by 
the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit.     He  begs  them  to 
give  over  all  their  hearts  to  him,  that  none  of  them, 
by  remaining  in  unbelief  and  sin,  may  be  lost ;  but 
that  all,  as  true  believers,  may  meet  him  in  heaven.1 

16.  "When  his   friend  said,  *  Simeon,  you  are 
very  happy,  you  will  in  a  short  time  see  the  Sav 
iour  on  whom  you  have  believed,  and  be  a  par- 


SIMEON    WILHELM.  165 

taker  of  his  glory,'  raising  his  voice,  he  said,  '  O 
Saviour!  come!  O!  Lord  Jesus, take  me  home  to 
thee  !  I  want  to  be  with  Jesus  !  You  go  to  Africa, 
and  I  to  heaven,  but  we  are  united  in  Christ !' 

17.  "He   afterward  said,  'O  Lord!  look  with 
compassion  on  a  poor  negro  lying  here  !     O  Lord  ! 
hear  the    prayer    of  a  dying  negro,  and   convert 
my  countrymen !     Send  true   preachers  to  them 
— take  me   to  heaven,  Lord  Jesus.'     All  present 
were  moved  to  tears.     About  two  o'clock,  on  the 
morning  of  his  death,  he  asked  for  some  refresh 
ments.     When  he  had  eaten  and  drunk,  he  said 
cheerfully,  '  This  is  the  last  time — I  want  no  more 
— I  shall  go  to  my  Saviour  in  heaven.' 

1 8.  "  He  prayed  fervently  for  himself,  for  his 
relatives,  for  his  countrymen,  and  for  all  his  friends 
and  benefactors.     About  nine,  he  said  to  his  littlo 
companion,  *  Maxwell,  pray  for  Simeon,  that  the 
Lord  give  him  patience/     And  about  ten,  on  the 
29th  of  August,  he  departed,  after  an  illness  of  six 
weeks  ;  during  which  he  manifested  the  advantage 
of  a  true  and  sincere  belief  in  the  doctrines  of 
Christianity,  and  their  support    under  his  bodily 
suffering." 


266  LUCY    CARBWELL. 


LUCY    CARDWELL. 

WRITTEN    BY    ELIZABETH    LADD. 

SHE  was  born  in  Charles  City  county,  Virginia, 
of  free  parents,  who  gave  her  some  school  learn 
ing.  I  shall  pass  over  the  incidents  of  her  early 
years,  and  begin  my  account  at  the  time  of 
my  acquaintance  with  her,  which  takes  its  date 
from  her  second  marriage,  at  which  time  she  re 
moved  to  this  neighborhood. 

2.  Her  unassuming    manners  gained  her   the 
esteem  of  her  neighbors  of  all  classes.     Her  con 
duct,  as  a  wife,  struggling  with  many  difficulties, 
was  marked  with  prudence.     And  if  we  view  her 
in  the  character  of  mother  and  of  stepmother,  we 
see  none  of  the  distinctions  which  too  frequently 
disturb  the  harmony  of  mixed  families  of  children. 

3.  Of  her  it  may  not  be  said,  as  of  some  profes 
sors  formerly,  who  had  a  name  to  live  when  they 
were  dead,  Rev.  iii.  1,  for  she  belonged  to  no  reli 
gious  society.    But  the  solidity  of  her  countenance, 
both  in  and  out  of  meetings,  joined  to  a  grave  de 
portment,  bore  testimony  that  she  was  not  unac 
quainted  with  that  spiritual  worship,  of  which  our 
blessed  Lord   spoke,  when  addressing  himself  to 
the  woman  of  Samaria,  John  iv.  23. 

4.  As  before  observed,  she  was  not  in  member- 


LUCY    CAR  DWELL.  167 

ship,  yet  in  principle  and  practice,  she  was  a 
Friend.  She  was  for  many  years  diligent  in  the 
attendance  of  our  meetings.  And  what  is  worthy 
of  remark,  she  not  only  kept  to  plainness  of  dress 
and  address  herself,  but  brought  up  her  children  in 
the  constant  use  of  both. 

5.  In  the  early  part  of  the  illness  which  proved 
to  be  her  last,  she  became  impressed  with   a  belief 
that  she  should  not  recover.     She  wras  not,  how 
ever,  considered  dangerously  ill,  until    about   ten 
days  before  her  death ;  about  which  time  she  sent 
for  me.     I  found  her  very  weak  in  body,  but  strong 
in  mind.    She  looked  at  me  very  expressively,  and 
said,  "  I  want  to  talk  with  thee,  but  I  fear  it  is  too 
late." 

6.  After  lying  quiet  a  little  while,  she  began 
with   expressions  of   concern  about  her  children. 
My  husband  being  present,  with  a  view  to  abate 
the  anxiety  of  her  feelings  on  their  account,  he  told 
her  they  would  be  provided  for.     She  said,  "  Then 
I  believe  I  have  not  much  more  to  do.    I  have  look 
ed  all  over,"  (meaning,  I  suppose,  her  past  conduct,) 
"  and  I  do  not  find  that  there  is  any  thing  in  my 
way.    Dost  thou  think  my  ways  have  been  such  as 
to  entitle  me  to  a  place  of  rest  ?"     I  informed  her 
that  I  knew  of  nothing  that  I  thought  was  in  her 
way.     She  said,  "  I  have  tried  to  serve  the  Lord 
from  my  early  years." 

7.  Here  a  solemn  pause  ensued,  as  if  she  was 
in  deep  meditation.    Watching  her  countenance,  I 


168  LUCY    CARD  WELL. 

observed  it  was  presently  animated  with  such  an 
evidence  of  joy  as  I  had  rarely  witnessed — when 
she  said,  "  Come,  Lord  ! — why  should  I  wish  to 
tarry?" — repeating  the  words  of  our  Saviour, 
"  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy 
laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest,"Matt.  xi.  28. 

8.  At  intervals,  as  her  strength  would  admit,  she 
addressed  her  husband,  and  the  rest  of  the  family 
individually,  in  a  feeling  and  sensible  manner,  and 
with   matter  well  suited  to  their   several   states. 
After  which  she  was  engaged  in  vocal  supplication, 
with  a  melody  of  voice,  and  in  language  which  we 
could  scarcely  have  supposed  was  her  own. 

9.  Her  pulse,  about  this  time,  was  hardly  per 
ceptible,  and  every  appearance  indicated  a  speedy 
dissolution.    While  these  apprehensions  prevailed, 
she  said,  "  I  see  how  the  end  will  be.     I  have  yet 
much  to  suffer ;  and  I  desire  I  may  be  favored  with 
patience." 

10.  This  view  of  her  situation,  and  of  her  solemn 
close,  was  remarkably  realized ;  for  she  lived  about 
eight  days  longer :  much  of  which  time  was  passed 
in  a  state  of  delirium.     When  she  had  lucid  inter 
vals,  they  were  occupied  chiefly  in  thanksgivin 
and  praise. 

11.  At  one  time,  when  I  was  not  present,  she 
desired  a  friend  to  tell  me,  if  she  should  not  see 
me  any  more,  that  the  work  was  done,  and  well 
done.    I  presently  called  to  see  her,  when  she  told 
me.  the    same ;    adding,  "  We  are  all    sisters  in 


BEBECCA    JACKSON.  169 

Christ."  She  further  said,  "  I  wish  thee  to  keep 
the  faith,  and  maintain  the  fight,  that  thou  mayst 
come  where  I  am  going." 

12.  In  closing  this  short  account,  which  I  have 
felt  a  willingness  to  preserve,  for  the  encourage 
ment  more  particularly  of  those  of  her  own  color, 
I  am  led  to  adopt  the  language  of  the  Apostle  Pe 
ter  :  "  Of  a  truth  I  perceive  that  God  is  no  respect 
er  of  persons  :  but  in  every  nation,  he  that  feareth 
him  and  worketh  righteousness,  is  accepted  with 
him,"  Acts  x.  34,  35. 

13.  She  departed  this  life  on  the  25th  of  Third 
month,  1824,  aged  39  years;  and  her  body  was 
decently  interred  in    Friend's  burying  ground  at 
Smithfield,  Ohio,  the  day  following  her  decease. 


REBECCA   JACKSON. 

IN  the  spring  of  1817,  Rebecca  Jackson,  a  girl 
of  color,  about  eight  years  old,  in  the  service  of 
I.  H.,  of  Mount  Holly,  New  Jersey,  one  morning 
very  early,  reaching  for  something  on  the  mantel 
piece,  set  her  clothes  on  fire,  and  she  was  dread* 
fully  burned.  Her  shrieks  immediately  alarmed 
and  collected  all  the  family,  and  they  found  the 
skin,  from  the  breast  to  the  feet,  entirely  taken  off. 

2.  When  her  mistress  entered  the  room,  the 
15 


170  REBECCA   JACKSON. 

shock  was  such  that  she  could  not  conceal  her 
emotions,  which  the  child  perceiving,  said,  "  O 
mistress  !  do  not  cry,  I  shall  get  well."  After  get 
ting  her  to  bed,  a  physician  was  called,  and  every 
suitable  application  made,  though  he  thought  her 
recovery  impossible.  Her  sufferings  were  beyond 
description,  or  the  power  of  shedding  tears ;  but 
she  was  invested  with  astonishing  fortitude. 

3.  One  day  she  cried  out,  "  O  gracious  Father  ! 
have  mercy  on  a  poor  child  !     Mistress,  I  will  try 
to  bear  it  as  well  as  I  can."    This  was  very  evident 
to  those  who  attended  her,  and  the  gratitude  she 
manifested  for  kindness  received  was  lively — fre 
quently   expressing  a  hope  that  the  Lord  would 
please  to  let  her  live  to  pay  master  and  mistress, 
and  indeed  all  who  waited  on  her,  for  the  trouble 
she  gave  them. 

4.  At  another  time,  conversing  with  her   mis 
tress,  she  said,  "  The  Lord  made  the  world,  and 
every  body  in  it,  and  made  us  all  to  die;  and  thee 
must  die,  mistress,  as  well  as  I."     Again,  when 
her  mistress  entered  her  room,  "  0  mistress  !  every 
thing  that  I  have  done  has  come  before  me  this 
day."     On  her  inquiring  what  things  they  were, 
the  child  replied,  that  frequently,  when  her  mistress 
had  called  her,  she  had  waited,  (meaning  for  her 
fellow-servants  to  go,)  but  that   she  never  would 
again,  but  would  run  whenever  she  heard  her. 

5.  Her    school-mates    often    visited    her,    and 
fcro nght  her  little  presents.     She  advised  them  to 


KEBECCA    JACKSON.  171 

be  very  careful  about  fire,  and  not  get  burned  as 
she  was,  and  would  gratefully  acknowledge  how 
very  kind  every  one  was  to  her.  She  lay  six  weeks 
in  great  bodily  suffering ;  during  which  time,  she 
was  a  remarkable  instance  and  example  of  pa 
tience. 

6.  Her  mistress  often  spoke  to  her  on  the  sub 
ject  of  death,  but  she  did  not  appear  to  resign  her 
self  to  it  until  the  day  before  it  occurred.  She  then 
told  her  she  was  willing  and  ready  to  go  at  any 
time,  and  spoke  with  great  composure  of  her  bu 
rial.  In  the  extremity  of  her  pain,  she  frequently 
cried  out,  "  0  gracious  Father !  have  mercy  on  a 
poor  child  !"  About  eight  hours  previous  to  her 
close,  she  lay  perfectly  quiet,  and  departed  as  one 
falling  into  a  sweet  sleep ;  and  she  has  no  doubt 
entered  into  everlasting  rest. 


THE  following  sketches  of  Stephen  Kiah  and  Sarah  Draper  are 
from  the  pen  of  Jehudi  Ashmun,  who  accompanied  some  of  the 
first  settlers  of  Monrovia,  Africa,  from  Baltimore,  the  20th  of 
Sixth  month,  1822,  and  arrived  at  the  place  of  destination,  the  9th 
of  Eighth  month,  where,  agreeably  to  instructions  given  by  the 
Colonization  Society,  he  acted  as  general  agent  for  more  than  five 
years. 

2.  During  this  time,  by  great  and  constant  exertion,  and  extreme 
exposure  to  the  climate,  his  health  was  so  impaired  that  he  was 
advised  to  attempt  a  recovery  by  returning  to  his  native  country. 
His  departure  is  thus  described  by  Lott  Carey,  a  man  of  color,  in 
whose  charge  the  agency  of  the  colony  was  left :— "  Never,  I  sup- 


172  STEPHEN    KIAH. 

pose,  were  greater  tokens  of  respect  shown  by  any  community  on 
taking  leave  of  their  head. 

3.  "  Nearly  the  whole  (at  least  two  thirds)  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Monrovia,  men,  women,  and  children,  were  out  on  this  occasion, 
and  nearly  all  parted  from  him  in  tears.    In  my  opinion,  the  hops 
of  his  return  in  a  few  months,  alone  enabled  them  to  give  him  up. 
He  is  indeed  dear  to  this  people,  and  it  will  be  a  joyful  day  when 
we  are  permitted  again  to  see  him.    He  has  left  a  written  address 
containing  valuable  admonitions  to  officers,  civil,  military,  and  re 
ligious." 

4.  Ashmun,  after  considerable  detention  in  the  West  Indies,  ar 
rived  at  New  Haven,  Connecticut,  the  10th  of  Eighth  month,  1828, 
but  so  far  exhausted  as  to  continue  but  a  short  time.    A  few  days 
before  his  death,  he  said  to  his  friend  who  attended  him,  "I  have 
been  praying  for  light,  and  a  little  light  has  come,  cheering  and  re 
freshing  beyond  expression." 

5.  Requesting  the  prayers  of  the  congregation,  he  said,  "  I  have 
a  desire  to  recover,  but  I  do  not  wish  that  to  be  the  burden  of  the 
prayer.    Let  it  be  that  I  may  acquiesce  entirely  in  the  will  of  God, 
and  have  communion  with  God.    I  wish  the  colony  to  be  remem 
bered  ;"  and  as  he  spoke  these  words  he  wept.    "  Excuse  my  weak 
ness,"  said  he,  "  there  are  many  good  people  there,  and  they  are  so 
dear, that  when  I  think  of  seeing  them  no  more,  my  feelings  are  too 
strong."    He  gently  expired  the  25th  of  the  same  month,  in  the 
thirty- fifth  year  of  his  age. 


STEPHEN   KIAH. 

IT  is  due  to  the  memory  of  this  worthy  man,  to 
transmit,  at  least,  a  simple  notice  of  his  excellent 
character,  to  his  descendants  in  this  colony,  and  to 
all  who  may  inherit  after  him  the  blessings  of  a 
civil  and  religious  community,  which  his  example, 
his  influence,  and  above  all,  his  prayers,  have  large 
ly  contributed  toward  establishing  in  this  country. 


STEPHEN    KIAH.  J73 

2.  He  was  a  native  of  the  eastern  shore  of  Mary 
land,  and  for  upward  of  the  first  seventy  years  of 
his  life,  he  resided  there.    It  was  his  lot  to  be  born 
a  slave  ;  but  long  before  the  middle  of  life,  by  his 
industry  and  good  conduct,  he   obtained  his  free 
dom,  and  became  the  father  of  a  numerous  and 
highly  respectable  family,  the  condition  of  whose 
birth  spared  them  all  from  the  reproach  (however 
unjust)  of  having  ever  been  in  a  state  of  servitude. 

3.  His  age  could  not  be  exactly  ascertained,  but 
from  circumstances  he  could  not  be  supposed  to  be 
under  seventy-six  years  of  age,  at  the  time  of  em 
barkation  for  Africa,  in  1822;  and,  rarely  as  such 
circumstances    occur,  he   at   that  time    retained, 
under  so  great  a  weight  of  years,  and  even  to  the 
last  hour  of  his  life,  much  of  that  soundness  of 
judgment,  promptness  of  recollection,  and  strength 
of  memory,  which  had  distinguished  him   in  an 
unusual  degree  through  life. 

4.  The  traits  of  his    character  were    happily 
blended,  and  formed   together  an  assemblage   of 
very  striking  excellences,  to  which  none  who  knew 
him  could  long  remain  insensible.     Cheerfulness 
without  levity ;  kindness  tempered  with  discrimi 
nating  severity ;    firmness  joined    with    the   most 
amiable  docility,  were  among  the  most  conspicu 
ous.     The  manly  firmness  of  inflexible  principles, 
united  with  the  lamblike  meekness  of  a  dependant 
and  submissive  child,  were  qualities,  which,  how 
ever  opposite  in  their  appearance,  were  most  har- 

15* 


174  STEPHEN    KIAH. 

moniously  interwoven  in  the  texture  of  his  moral 
habits. 

5.  His  constitution  had  been  robust,  his  habits 
laborious,  and  as  a  consequence,  his  circumstances, 
at  the  period  of  his  emigration,  were  easy.     His 
motive  for  this  step  at  so  advanced  an  age,  he  ex 
plained  by  observing  to  me,  that  the  remnant  of  his 
own  life  was  of  too  little  importance  to  oppose  any 
obstacle  to  the  promotion  of  an  enterprise  which 
he  was  anxious  to  aid  by  his  example,  for  the  sake 
of  his    descendants,  and    the    colored   people  in 
America. 

6.  He  could  not  but  make  a  sacrifice  of  some 
of  the  comforts  of  old  age,  by  the  removal,  but  he 
saw  in  the  colony  an  asylum  prepared  by  the  prov 
idence  of  God,  for  the  people  of  color,  on  which  he 
was  firmly  persuaded,  that  the  dew  of  his  heavenly 
blessing  would  copiously  descend  to  the  latest  pe 
riod.     In  this  confidence,  he  cheerfully  accompa 
nied  his  numerous   family  to  this   distant    coast, 
which,  like   Moses,  he  most  earnestly  desired,  at 
least,  to  be  permitted  to  behold,  and  like  Jacob,  to 
have  his  bones  deposited  there.     And  his  desires 
were  fulfilled. 

7.  But  he  was  not  exempted  from  severe  afflic 
tions,  which  his  faith  so   eminently  fitted  him  to 
meet  with  composure,  and  sustain  with  the  most 
exemplary  patience.    His  aged  partner  was  among 
the  first  of  the  expedition,  who  fell  victims  to  the 

-t8li  JfiOffl  513V/  t90.- 


STEPHEN    KIAH.  175 

change  of  climate;  but  the  separation  was  rendered 
easy  by  the  mutual  confidence  of  a  speedy  reunion, 
in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  which  animated  the- 
bosoms  of  this  aged  couple. 

8.  A  pious  widowed  sister,  who  was  older  than 
himself,  soon  followed,  in  the  assured  hope  of  pass 
ing  to  the  immediate  fruition  of  a  holier  and  im 
mortal  life.     To  witness  this  scene  of  the  accom 
plishment  of  long-cherished  hope,  of  putting  ofT 
mortality   and  putting   on   immortality,  was    any 
thing  but  affliction  ; — it  was  the  triumph  of  faith 
and  hope,  and  the  peace  of  God,  which  passeth  all 
understanding. 

9.  But  a  few  days  after,  he  was  called  to  furnish, 
in  a  new  furnace  of  trials,  another  proof  of  his 
Christian  fortitude  and  confidence.     In  the  attack 
of  the  natives  on  the  settlement,  on  the  morning  of 
the  llth  of  November,  two  of  his  grand-children 
fell  before  his  eyes ;  one  of  them  having  been  kill 
ed  by  a  musket  shot,  and  the   other,  a  female,  as 
sassinated  under  circumstances  of  the  most  appal 
ling  barbarity. 

10.  In  the  same  hour,  a  worthy  son-in-law,  his 
principal  earthly  dependance  under  the  infirmities 
of  age,  was  disabled  for  life,  by  a  severe  wound  in 
the  shoulder,  and  five  small  grand-children  carried 
into  captivity.    The  children  were  restored,  how 
ever,  after  a  short  time.     To  discover  no  marks  of 
affliction,  under  such  wounding  dispensations  of 


J76  STEPHEN    KIAH. 

Heaven,  would  be  to  manifest  an  insensibility  of 
heart,  which,  to  say  the  least,  is  no  part  of  Chris 
tianity. 

11.  He  felt  the  chastisement  in  all  its  severity. 
His  heart  bled,  and  his  eyes  overflowed; but  in  all 
this  he   sinned  not,  by  repining  against  the  ordi 
nances   of  Heaven,  by  despairing  of  the   divine 
mercy,  or  charging  God  foolishly.     It  was  the  se 
verest  trial  of  his  life,  and  the  more  so  from  being 
sudden  and  unexpected :  but  he  soon  evinced  the 
power  of  faith,   and  a  faithful  Saviour  sustained 
him  under  his  sorrows. 

12.  He  continued,  although  nearly  worn  out  by 
the  infirmities  of  age,  to  employ  himself  in  such 
labors  as  his  strength  would  permit.     He  was  the 
advocate  and  promoter  of  every  thing  laudable  ;  a 
powerful  reprover  of  all  deceit,  slothfulness,  vice, 
and  irreligion ;  a  most  devout  and  humble  worship 
per  of  God,  both  in  public  and  social  meetings,  and 
in  his  closet ;  a  peaceable  and  exemplary  member 
of  the  civil  community ;  and  a  most  earnest,  active, 
and  faithful  friend  to  the  souls  of  his  fellow-men, 
till  his  peaceful  removal  to  a  better  world,  in  April, 
1825 


SARAH   DRAPER-  177 


feeifij  t^nnib  vrn  Js  fefidjpjip  *ufti*  i>f^  eUOi&w&J? 
SARAH   DRAPER. 

A  WIDOW  woman  from  Philadelphia,  who  ar 
rived  in  June,  1823,  without  property,  friends,  or  a 
lucrative  trade,  deserves  an  honorable  mention 
among  such  of  the  colonists  as  have  distinguished 
themselves  by  their  well-directed  industry.  She 
has,  at  the  present  date,  1826,  a  well-cultivated, 
enclosed,  and  otherwise  improved  building  lot  in 
town,  on  which  she  has  completed  a  commodious 
dwelling,  of  good  materials  ;  to  which  she  has  gone 
far  toward  completing  a  still  more  valuable  addi 
tion. 

2.  She  provides   respectably  for  two   African 
children,  whom  she  has  undertaken  to  educate  for 
the  United  State*  Agency  ;  and  who  are  daily  en 
joying  the  advantages  of  the  Free  School  of  Mon 
rovia.     But  the  activity  of  this  deserving  female 
has  not  been  confined  to  her  little  domestic  im 
provements.     In  1824,  she,  with  many  other  fe 
males  of  the  colony,  received  the  common  allot 
ment  of  two  acres  of  plantation  lands. 

3.  Unfortunately,  hers  fell  on  one  of  those  rough 
and  rugged  spurs  of  Montserado,  whose  rocky  sur 
face  and  sturdy  forest  growth  seemed  to  defy  the 
efforts  of  industry  itself  to  subdue  and   tame  it 


178  SARAH    DRAPER. 

down  to  an  arable  state.  But  Sarah  Draper  has 
accomplished  this  task.  The  whole  lot  is  under 
cultivation ;  and  I  this  day  had  at  my  dinner  three 
different  species  of  vegetables,  the  growth  of  her 
plantation. 

4.  She  is  the  first  female  in  whose  name,  title 
deeds  of  lands  in  Liberia  have  been  executed  ;  and 
to  increase  the  merit  of  this  distinction,  she  has 
acquired  the  right  to  this  valuable  freehold  by  her 
own  unassisted  exertions.  And  what  she  has  ac 
complished,  any  female  similarly  circumstanced, 
who  is  capable  of  exercising  the  same  degree  of 
resolution,  activity,  and  perseverance,  may  achieve 
in  the  same  time. 

\l&?  wx>m  UiJ»  Jt^.iJalqmoo-  bwwot  ii;> 

.noil 

rvri  tol  ^fcffifc»<|t»t  eobhrofcf  $rI8 

j  oJ  ofrifembw/  nnd  mis  itfciiffr  ffm!>!ub 

vis  orf'//  bas  ;  ipna$A  ffSislB  JbiktlJ  vd* 

,a&&  Q^-rl  adi  %>  »f^n^rbu  od*  §«ho{ 

•1  $fim52f>b  »Mr  l^o  yJhilnii  «d-J  luCl    .£f tot 

iol>  dull  t»H  ol  hw&m 
-eVtsdld  t0*^81  'dtfw^rfa  t^S8!  el 
-talk  rraaimo3  odl '  f>ovi5p«  tynof9^ 

.sbasl  flo*Un!fi£fq  lo  zwa  OY/I  lo 
rl^yoi  osodi  lo  oao  i»>  il»l  atini  ^blpnyJioluU  *S 

;^DQJ  asodw  (ObfiiaetnoM  lo  nuq^  Laggin  f>rra 
erfj  '^iab  ol  bsmoas  dlwpig  la^tol  ybiuJ*  bff£  ^D^ 
It  omul  fcnc  sokhja  ol  )beU  l?;j'  ni  !:•> 


10TT    CAREY.  179 


*  HE-X     f^-i      I    -,  -    a^>.-<!>      r    *     fl-cr*-    r>»      •   ?-f  A- 

LOTT  CAREY. 


PRINCIPALLY   PROM   GCRLEY's   LIFE   OF   ASHMUN. 

THIS  interesting  individual  was  born  a  slave, 
on  the  estate  of  William  A.  Christian,  in  Charles 
City  county,  about  thirty  miles  below  Richmond. 
In  1804,  he  was  sent  to  that  city,  and  hired  out 
by  the  year  as  a  common  laborer  at  the  Shockoe 
warehouse.  At  that  time,  and  for  two  or  three 
years  after,  he  was  excessively  profane,  and  much 
addicted  to  intoxication. 

2.  But  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  was  pleased 
to  awaken  him  to  a  sense  of  his  lost  estate  ;  and 
in  the  year  1807,  he  made  open  profession  of  his 
faith  in  the  Saviour.     A  sermon  which  he  heard 
about  that  time,  founded  on  our  Lord's  interview 
with   Nicodemus,  awakened  in  him  so  strong   a 
desire  to  be  able  to  read,  that  he  obtained  a  Tes 
tament,  and  commenced  learning  his   letters,  by 
trying  to  read  the  chapter  in  which  that  interview 
is  recorded. 

3.  He  was  occasionally  instructed  by  young 
gentlemen  at  the  warehouse,  though  he  never  at 
tended  a  regular  school.     In  a  little  time,  he  was 
able  to  read  and  write,  so  as  to  make  dray  tickets, 
and  superintend  the  shipping  of  tobacco.     In  this 
business,  and  in  overseeing  the  labor  of  the  other 


ISO  LOTT   CAREY. 

hands  in  the  warehouse,  he  was  particularly  use 
ful  ;  so  much  so,  that  he  received  800  dollars  sal 
ary  in  1820,  the  last  year  he  remained  there ;  and 
he  could  have  received  a  larger  sum,  if  he  would 
have  continued. 

4.  In  the  year  1813,  he  bought  himself  and 
his  two  little  children,  (his  wife  being  dead,)  for 
850  dollars,  and  thus  became  free.*  At  about  the 
same  time,  he  began  to  feel  a  particular  interest 
in  the  welfare  of  his  brethren  in  Africa ;  and  in 
accordance  with  this  benevolent  feeling,  and  also 
with  a  design  to  improve  his  own  condition,  he 
emigrated  to  that  country  among  the  first  settlers 
of  Liberia,  where  he  was  the  means  of  doing 
much  good  to  both  colonists  and  natives. 

*  The  manner  in  which  he  obtained  this  sum  of  money  to 
purchase  himself  and  his  children,  reflects  much  credit  on  his 
character.  It  will  be  seen  from  the  salary  he  received  after  he 
was  free,  and  which  he  relinquished  for  the  sake  of  doing  good  in 
Africa,  that  his  services  at  the  warehouse  were  highly  estimated ; 
but  of  their  real  value,  no  one  except  a  dealer  in  tobacco  can  form 
an  idea.  Notwithstanding  the  hundreds  of  hogsheads  that  were 
committed  to  his  charge,  he  could  produce  any  one  the  instant  it 
was  called  for ;  and  the  shipments  were  made  with  a  promptness 
and  correctness,  such  as  no  person,  white  or  black,  has  equalled 
in  the  same  situation.  For  this  correctness  and  fidelity,  he  was 
highly  esteemed,  and  frequently  rewarded  by  the  merchant  wkh  a 
five  dollar  note.  He  was  allowed  also  to  sell  for  his  benefit,  many 
small  parcels  of  waste  tobacco.  It  was  by  saving  the  little  sums 
obtained  in  this  way,  with  the  aid  of  a  subscription  by  the  mer 
chants  to  whose  interests  he  had  been  attentive,  that  he  procured 
these  850  dollars  which  he  paid  for  the  freedom  of  himself  and 
children.  When  the  colonists  were  fitted  out  for  Africa,  he  de 
frayed  a  considerable  part  of  his  own  expense. 


LOTT   CAREY.  181 

5.  In  reply  to  one  of  his  friends,  who  desired 
to  know  what  inducement  he  had  for  going  to 
Africa,  when  he  was  already  so  comfortably  sit 
uated,  he  said,  "  I  am  an  African ;  and  in  this 
country,  however  meritorious  my  conduct  and  re 
spectable  my  character,  I  cannot  receive  the  credit 
due  to  either.     I  wish  to  go  to  a  country  where  I 
shall  be  estimated  by  my  merits,  not  by  my  com 
plexion.     And  I  likewise  feel  bound  to  labor  for 
my  suffering  race." 

6.  Soon  after  he  made  a  profession  of  religion, 
he  commenced  holding   meetings   and  exhorting 
among  the  colored  people  ;    and,  though  he  had 
scarcely  any  knowledge  of  books,  and  but  little 
acquaintance  with  mankind,  he  would  frequently 
exhibit  a  boldness  of  thought,  and  a  strength  of 
native  intellect,  which  no  acquirement  could  ever 
have  given  him. 

7.  At  the  close  of  his  farewell  sermon,  on  his 
departure  for  Africa,  he  remarked  in  substance  as 
follows :  "  I  am  about  to  leave  you ;  and  I  expect 
to  see  your  faces  no  more.     I  long  to  preach  to 
the  poor  Africans  the  way  of  life  and  salvation.     I 
don't  know  what  may  befall  me, — whether  I  may 
find  a  grave  in  the  ocean,  or  among  the   savage 
men  or  more  savage  wild  beasts  on  the  coast  of 
Africa :  nor  am  I  anxious  what  may  become  of 
me  ;  I  feel  it  my  duty  to  go. 

8.  "  And  I  very  much  fear,  that  many  of  those 

who  preach  the  gospel  in  this  country,  will  blush 
16 


182  LOTT   CAREY. 

-when  the  Saviour  calls  them  to  give  an  account  of 
their  labors  in  his  cause,  and  tells  them,  '  I  com 
manded  you  to  go  into  all  the  world,  and  preach 
the  gospel  to  every  creature.'"  And  with  the 
most  forcible  emphasis  he  exclaimed,  "  The  Sav 
iour  may  ask,  '  Where  have  you  been ?  What 
have  you  been  doing  ?  Have  you  endeavored  to 
the  utmost  of  your  ability  to  fulfil  the  commands 
I  gave  you  ?  or  have  you  sought  your  own  gratifi 
cation  and  your  own  ease,  regardless  of  my  com 
mands  ?'" 

9.  In  his  new  home,  his  intellectual  ability,  firm 
ness  of  purpose,  unbending  integrity,  correct  judg 
ment,  and  disinterested  benevolence,  caused  him 
to  be  beloved  and  respected,  and  gave  him  great 
influence  :  and  he  soon  arose  to  honorable  distinc 
tion.    The  interests  of  the  colony,  and  the  cause  of 
his  countrymen,  in  both  Africa  and  America,  were 
very  near  to  his  heart.     For  them  he  was  willing 
to  toil,  and  to  make  almost  any  sacrifice ;  and  he 
frequently  declared,  that  no  possessions  in  Amer 
ica  could  induce  him  to  return. 

10.  He  possessed  a  constitution  peculiarly  fitted 
for  toil  and  exposure,  and  he  felt  the  effects  of  the 
climate  perhaps  less  than  any  other  individual  in 
the  colony.     During  the  sickly  season  of  the  year, 
he  was  usually  wholly  employed  in  attending  the 
sick ;  and  for  more  than  a  year,  they  had  no  other 
physician  among  them.     The  little  medical  infor 
mation  he  had  obtained  from  Dr.  Ayres  and  others 


LOTT    CAREY.  183 

on  the  coast,  together  with  several  years'  expe 
rience,  enabled  him  successfully  to  contend  with 
the  peculiar  fevers  of  the  climate. 

11.  Under   date    of  March   12th,  1824,  shortly 
after  the  arrival  of  the  Cyrus  with  105  emigrants, 
he   wrote  : — "  The   fever   began   about  the  24th 
ult.,  and  on  the  28th,  we  had  38  cases ;  and  by 
the   2d  inst.  we  had  66  under  the  operation  of 
medicine ;  and  at  present,  I  have  about  a  hundred 
cases  of  fever  to  contend  with :  but  we  have  been 
very  much  favored,  for  they  all  appear  to  be  on  the 
recovery,  and  we  have  lost  none,  saving  three  chil 
dren.     I  have  very  little  time  to  write  to  you,  my 
self  being  the  only  man  that  will  venture  to  act  in 
the  capacity  of  a  physician." 

12.  The  managers  of  the  American   Coloniza 
tion  Society,  in  1825,  invited   Carey  to  visit  the 
United  States,  in  the  expectation  that  his  intelli 
gent  and  candid  statements,  concerning  the  con 
dition  and  prospects  of  the  colony  and  the  moral 
wants  of  Africa,  would  exert  a  beneficial  influence 
on  the  opinions  of  the  people  of  color,  and  recom 
mend  the  cause  of  the  society  to  the  public  regard. 

13.  In   the   month   of   April,    1826,   he   made 
arrangements  to  embark  in  the  Indian   Chief,  on 
her  return  from  taking  a  large  number  of  emi 
grants  to  the  colony,  and  received  from  Ashmun 
testimonials  of  his  worth  and  services.     The  fol 
lowing  is  an  extract  from  a  letter  from  Ashmun 
to  the  managers  of  the  Colonization  Society  : — 


-"   T;-,T 

184  LOTT   CARET. 

14.  "  The  Rev.  Lotl  Carey  has,  in  my  opinion, 
some  claims  on  the  justice  of  the  society,  or  the 
government  of  the  United  States,  or  both,  which 
merit  consideration.     These  claims  arise  out  of  a 
long  and  faithful  course  of  medical  services  ren 
dered  to  this  colony.     More  than  one  half  of  his 
time  has  been  given  up  to  the  care  of  the  sick, 
from  the  day  I  landed  in  Africa  to   the  very  mo 
ment   of  stating   the   fact.      He    has    personally 
aided,  in  every  way  that  fidelity  and  benevolence 
could  dictate,  in  all  the  attentions  which  our  sick 
have  in  so  long  a  period  received. 

15.  "  Several   times   have   these    disinterested 
labors  reduced  him  to  the  very  verge  of  the  grave. 
He  has  hitherto  received  no  compensation,  either 
from  the  society  or  the  government,  for  these  ser 
vices.     I  need  not  add,  that  it  has  not  been  in  his 
power  to  support  himself  and  family,  by  any  use 
he  could  make  of  the  remnants  of  the  time  left 
him,  after  discharging  the  amount  of  duties  de 
volving  upon  him.     In  addition,  he  has  the  care  of 
the  liberated  Africans." 

16.  Until  near  the  time  of  the  Indian  Chiefs 
departure,  he  cherished  the  hope  of  embarking  in 
her  for  America.     But  as  there  was  no  other  phy 
sician  in  the  colony,  it  was  finally  thought  best  for 
him  to  postpone  his  departure  until  another  oppor 
tunity.     By  the  return  of  that  vessel,  he  addressed 
the  following  letter  to   the  secretary  of  the  so- 
ciety:- 


LOTT    CAREY.  185 

"Monrovia,  April 24th,  1826. 

"  REV.  AND  DEAR  SIR, — I  received  your  letter 
sent  me  by  order  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of 
the  American  Colonization  Society,  and  expected, 
until  a  few  days  ago,  that  the  return  of  the  Indian 
Chief  would  have  enabled  me,  in  all  respects,  to 
have  realized  all  their  wishes.  But  on  a  more 
minute  examination  of  the  subject,  Mr.  Ashmun 
and  myself  both  were  apprehensive  that  my  leaving 
the  colony  at  present,  would  endanger  the  lives  of 
a  number  of  the  inhabitants. 

18.  "  Mr.  Ashmun  has,  however,  made  a   full 
statement  to  the  board,  which  I  have  no  doubt  will 
be  satisfactory  to  them.     I  think  that,  through  the 
blessing  of  the  Almighty,  I  shall  be  able  to  get 
the  last  expedition  through  the  fever  with  very 
little  loss  :  we  have  lost  only  three,  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Trueman,  from  Baltimore,  and  two  children  be 
longing  to  the  Paxton  family.     But  the  emigrants 
who  came  out  in  the  Vine  (from  Boston)  have  suf 
fered  very  much ;  we  lost  twelve  of  them. 

19.  "  The  action  of  the  disease  was  more  pow 
erful  with  them  than  is  common ;  they  unfortu 
nately  arrived  here  in  the  most  sickly  month  in 
the  year,  February.     I  am  strongly  of  the  opinion, 
sir,  that  if  the  people  of  New  England  leave  there 
in  the  winter,  that  the  transition  is  so  great,  that 
they  may  count  upon  a  loss  of  half  at  least.     They 
may,  in  my  estimation,  with  safety,  leave  in  the 
months  from  April  to  November,  and  arrive  here 

Tfi* 


186  LOTT    CAREY. 

in  good  time.  I  think  it  to  be  a  matter  of  great 
importance  ;  therefore  I  hope  that  you  will  regard 
it  as  such. 

"  I  am  respectfully  yours, 

"LoTT  CAREY." 

20.  Notwithstanding  he  on  one  occasion  man 
ifested  a  disposition  for  insubordination,  yet,  like 
a  wise  man  and  a  Christian,  he  soon  saw  his  error, 
and  acknowledged  it  with  humility  and  submis 
sion.     He  was  elected  in  September,  1826,  to  the 
vice   agency   of  the    colony,  and   discharged  the 
duties  of  that  important  office  until  his  dealh. 

21.  In   his   good   sense,  moral   worth,  public 
spirit,  courage,  resolution,  and  decision,  the  colo 
nial  agent  had  perfect  confidence.     He  knew  that 
in   times    of  difficulty  or  of  danger,  full  reliance 
might  be  placed  upon  the  energy  and   efficiency 
of  Carey. 

22.  When  compelled,  in  the  early  part  of  1828, 
to  leave  the  colony,  Ashmun  committed  the  ad 
ministration  of  the  colonial  affairs  into  the  hands 
of  the  vice  agent,  in  the  full  belief  that  no  interest 
would  be  betrayed,  but  that  his  efforts  would  be 
constantly  and  anxiously  directed  to  the  promotion 
of  the  public  good. 

23.  Soon  after,  Carey  wrote  thus  : — "  Feeling 
very  sensibly,  my  incompetency  to  enter  upon  the 
duties  of  my  office,  without  first  making  all  the 

officers  of  the   colony  well  acquainted  with   the 

. 


LOTT    CAREY.  187 

principal  objects  which  should  engage  our  atten 
tion,  I  invited  them  to  meet  at  the  Agency  House 
on  the  27th,  at  9  o'clock,  which  was  punctually 
attended  to,  and  I  then  read  all  the  instructions 
left  hy  Mr.  Ashmun,  without  reserve,  and  re- 
quested  their  co-operation.  To  get  the  new  set 
tlers  located  on  their  lands,  was  a  very  important 
item  in  my  instructions ;  and  I  trust,  through  the 
blessing  of  the  great  Ruler  of  events,  we  shall 
be  able  to  realize  all  the  expectations  of  Mr.  Ash 
mun." 

24.  He  soon  purchased  a  large  tract  of  land  for 
the  Colonization  Society  of  the  native  kings  ;  and 
further  said,  "  Captain  Russell  will  be  able  to  give 
something  like  a  fair  account  of  the  state  of  our 
improvements,  as  he  went  with  me  to  visit  the  set 
tlements,  and  seemed  pleased  with  the  prospect  at 
Millsburg,  C  aid  well,  and  the  Half  way  Farms."  '*$ 

25.  In  a  letter  to  the  lamented  Ashmun,  Carey 
stated,  "  Things   are   nearly   as   you   left   them ; 
most  of  the  work  that  you  directed  to  be  done,  is 
nearly  accomplished.     The  public  farm  is  doing 
pretty  well.     The  Miilsburg  farms  are  doing  very 
well.     I  think  it  would  do  you  good  to  see  that 
place   at  this  time.     The  missionaries,   although 
they  have  been  sick,  are  now,  I  am  happy  to  in 
form  you,  recovered ;  and  at  present  are  able  to 
attend  to  their  busine^jj 

26.  To  the  secretary  of  the   Colonization  So 
ciety,  July  1 9th,  he  wrote,  "  I  have  the  honor  to 


188  LOTT   CAREY. 

acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  letter,  forwarded 
by  Captain  Chase,  of  Providence,  with  the  Repos 
itory,  &c.,  &c. :  and  permit  me  to  say,  that  these 
communications  are  read  with  pleasure,  and  that 
nothing  affords  more  joy  to  the  colony,  than  to  hear 
of  the  prosperity  of  the  Colonization  Society,  and 
that  you  have  some  hopes  of  aid  from  the  general 
government,  which  makes  us  more  desirous  to  en 
large  our  habitation,  and  extend  the  borders  of  the 
colony. 

27.  "  I  am  happy  to  say,  that  the  health,  peace, 
and  prosperity  of  the  colony,  I  think,  are  still  ad 
vancing  ;  and  I  hope  that  the  board  of  managers 
may  have  their  wishes  and  expectations  realized 
to  their  fullest  extent,  with  regard  to  the  present 
and  future  prosperity  of  the  colony." 

28.  For  about  six  months  after  the  departure 
of  Ashmun  from  the  colony,  Carey  stood  at  its 
head,  and  conducted  himself  with  such  energy 
and  wisdom,  as  to  do  honor  to  his  previous  repu 
tation,  and  fix  the  seal  upon  his  enviable  fame. 
But,  alas !    he  was  suddenly    and    unexpectedly, 
and  in  a  distressing  manner,  forced  from  life,  in  all 
its  vigor,  by  the  explosion  of  gunpowder,  on  the 
8th   of  November,   in  which   eight  persons  lost 
their  lives. 

29.  Carey  was  thrice  marriedl  and  thrice  he 
was  left  a  widower.     His  first  wife  died,  as  before 
related,  previous  to  his  becoming  free.     His  sec 
ond  wife  died  at  Foura  Bay,  near  Sierra  Leone, 


LOTT   CAREY.  189 

shortly  after  arriving  in  Africa.  Of  her  triumph 
ant  death,  he  has  given  a  most  affecting  account 
in  his  journal  of  that  date.  His  third  wife  died 
at  Cape  Montserado.  She  was  the  daughter  of 
Richard  Sampson  from  Petersburgh. 

30.  It  has  been  very  well  said  of  Carey,  that 
he  was  one  of  nature's  noblemen.     Had  he  pos 
sessed  the  advantages  of  education,  few  men  of 
his  age  would  have  excelled  him  in  knowledge  or 
genius.     To  found  a  Christian  colony  which  might 
prove  a  blessed  asylum  to  his  degraded  brethren 
in  America,  and  enlighten  and  regenerate  Africa, 
was,  in  his  view,  an  object  with  which  no  temporal 
good,  not  even  life,  could  be  compared. 

31.  The    strongest    sympathies  of  his  nature 
were  excited  in  behalf  of  his  unfortunate  people, 
and  the  divine  promise  cheered  and  encouraged 
him  in  his  labors  for  their  improvement  and  sal 
vation.     A  main  pillar  in  the  society  and  church 
of  Liberia  has  fallen  !     But  we  will  not  despond. 
The  memorial  of  his  worth  shall  never  perish.     It 
shall  stand  in  a  clearer  light,  when  every  chain  is 
broken,  and  Christianity  shall  have  assumed  her 
sway  over  the  millions  of  Africa. 


190  NOTICES    OF    LIBERIA. 

.'•J       J!^'  ,i/ht3  •iajlB:'1^i"l  M* 

<•  aa>*ig  *«?<i  '»4  v*N^fe^«* 

NOTICES  OF  LIBERIA. 

THE  following  account  of  the  productions  and 
climate  of  the  colony  (written  about  five  years 
after  its  establishment)  is  from  Gurley's  Life  of 
Ashmun  : — "  Quadrupeds, — horses,  cattle  in  abun 
dance,  sheep,  goats  in  abundance,  asses  lately  in 
troduced,  swine  numerous.  Fowls, — ducks,  geese, 
and  Guinea  fowls.  Fish, — nowhere  found  in  great 
er  quantities.  Fruits, — plantains,  bananas  in  abun 
dance,  limes,  lemons,  tamarinds,  oranges,  sousop, 
cashew,  mango,  twenty  varieties  of  the  prune, 
guava,  papaw,  pine-apple,  grape,  tropical  peach, 
and  cherry. 

2.  "  Vegetables, — sweet  potato,  cassada,  yams, 
cocoa,    ground-nuts,    arrowroot,    egg-plant,    ocre, 
cucumbers,  and  pumpkins,  every  variety  of  beans, 
and    most    sorts    of  peas.      Grains, — rice,    (the 
staple,)   Indian    corn,    millet,    and    Guinea   corn. 
Coffee,  excellent  and  abundant ;  pepper  of  three 
varieties,  each  of  which  is  equal  to  Cayenne  ;  cot 
ton — staple  good,  but  not  yet  cultivated.    To  these 
may  be  added  indigo,  which,  it  is  thought,  may  be 
raised  to   advantage,  and  the  sugar-cane,  which, 
doubtless,  will  ultimately  receive  attention." 

3.  In  speaking,  not  long  before  he  left,  of  the 
improvement  in  the  colony,  relative  to  the  fever 
which  had  prevailed,  of  Caldwell   he  observed 


NOTICES    OF    LIBEKU.  191 

lulliw  J;ae»3T^s-;  *•" 
"  Taking  its  past  history  for  a  criterion,  a  healthier 

settlement  of  equal  extent,  is  not,  I  presume,  to  be 
found  in  all  the  salubrious  regions  of  the  extensive 
west  of  our  own  country." 


THE  following  sentences  are  extracted  from  a 
valuable  article  in  the  Amulet  for  1832,  ascribed  to 
a  distinguished  British  officer,  who  had  been  three 
years  on  the  African  coast : — "  Nothing  has  tend 
ed  more  to  suppress  the  slave  trade  in  this  quarter, 
than  the  constant  intercourse  and  communication 
of  the  natives  with  these  industrious  colonists. 

2.  "  The  American  agent,   Mr.  Ashmun,  took 
every  opportunity  and  means  in  his  power,  to  ex 
tinguish  a  traffic  so  injurious  in  every  way  to  the 
fair  trader ;  and  at   Cape  Montserado,  good  and 
correct  information  was  always  to  be  obtained  of 
any  slave  vessel  on  the  coast,  within  the  commu 
nication  or  influence  of  the  colony.     This   active, 
respectable,  and  intelligent  man,  is  since  dead,  but 
his  spirit  still  actuates  all  his  people. 

3.  "  They  have  several  large   boats  and  small 
decked  vessels  belonging  to  their  community,  and 
others  in  progress  of  building.     These  are  active 
ly  employed  in  trading  along  the  coast,  and  keep 
ing  up  the  intercourse  with  Caldwell  and  the  in 
terior.     The  character  of  these  industrious  colo 
nists  is  exceedingly  correct  and  moral,  their  minds 


192  NOTICES    OF    LIBERIA. 

strongly  impressed  with  religious  feelings,  their 
manners  serious  and  decorous,  and  their  domestic 
habits  remarkably  neat  and  comfortable. 

4.  "  Their  houses  are  well  built,  ornamented  with 
gardens  and  other  pleasing  decorations,  and  in  the 
inside  are  remarkably  clean — the  walls  well  white 
washed,  and  the  rooms  neatly  furnished.     They 
are  very  hospitable  to  strangers,  and  many  English 
naval  officers  on  the  station  have  been  invited  to 
dine  with  them,  and  have  joined  in  their  meals, 
which  were  wholesome  and  good.     The  #ian  of 
the  house  regularly  said  grace,  both  before  and 
after  meat,  with  much  solemnity,  in  which  he  was 
joined  by  the  rest  of  the  family,  with  great  seem 
ing  sincerity 

5.  "  They   all   speak   good   English,   as   their 
native  language,  and  without  any  defect  of  pro 
nunciation.     They  are  well  supplied  with  books, 
particularly  Bibles  and  liturgies.     They  have  pas 
tors    of  their   own  color,  and  meeting  houses  in 
which  divine  service  is  well  and  regularly  per 
formed  every  Sunday,  and  they  have  four  schools 
at  Cape  Montserado,  and  three  at  Caldwell.     By 
one  ship  alone,  they  received  five  hundred  volumes, 
presented  by  Dartmouth  College,  besides  several 
boxes  and  packets  of  school  books,  sent  by  friends 
at  Boston. 

6.  "  The  complete  success  of  this  colony  is  a 
proof  that  negroes  are,  by  proper  care  and  atten 
tion,  as  susceptible  of  the  habits  of  industry  and 


NOTICES    OF    LIBERIA.  193 

the  improvements  of  social  life,  as  any  other  race 
of  human  beings  :  and  that  the  melioration  of  the 
condition  of  the  black  people  on  the  coast  of  Af 
rica,  by  means  of  such  colonies,  is  not  chimerical. 
Wherever  the  influence  of  this  colony  extends,  the 
.slave  trade  has  been  abandoned  by  the  natives,  and 
the  peaceful  pursuits  of  legitimate  commerce  es 
tablished  in  its  place.  A  few  colonies  of  this 
kind  scattered  along  the  coast,  would  be  of  infinite 
value  in  improving  the  natives." 


THOMAS  BUCHANAN,  Agent  of  the  New  York 
and  Philadelphia  Young  Men's  Colonization  So 
ciety,  sailed  for  Bassa  Cove  on  the  23d  of  Novem 
ber,  1835.  He  arrived  at  Monrovia  on  the  first  of 
January,  and  proceeded  to  the  settlement  of  which 
he  had  charge,  on  the  eighth.  The  following  is 
an  extract  from  one  of  his  letters  : — "  I  find  a  state 
of  things  here  altogether  better  than  I  had  ever 
anticipated,  even  when  trying  to  imagine  the  bright 
est  side  of  the  picture  ;  but  with  my  present  im 
perfect  ability  to  detect  the  errors  of  first  impres 
sions,  I  shall  withhold  the  remarks  which  my  feel 
ings  would  prompt. 

2.  "  I  visited   New  Georgia,  Congo  Town,  and 

C  aid  well,  on  Tuesday  last,  in  company  with  some 

gentlemen  of  this  place,  for  the  purpose  of  seeing 

some  of  our  emigrants  who  had  been  located  at 

17 


194  NOTICES    OP    LIBERIA. 

those  places.  With  all  these  towns  I  was  much 
pleased,  but  this  term  is  too  feeble  entirely  to  con 
vey  the  delightful  emotions  excited  by  the  appear 
ance  of  things  in  the  two  first-named  villages, 
which  are  the  residences  of  the  recaptured  Afri 
cans.  The  air  of  perfect  neatness,  thrift,  and  com 
fort,  which  reigns  throughout,  afforded  a  lovely 
commentary  on  the  advancement  which  these  in 
teresting  people  have  made  in  civilization  and 
Christian  order,  under  the  patronage  of  the  Colo 
nization  Society. 

3.  "  Imagine  to  yourself  a  level  plain  of  some 
two  or  three  hundred  acres  laid  off  into  square 
blocks,  with  streets  intersecting  each  other  at  right 
angles,  as  smooth  and  clean  as  the  best-swept  side 
walk  in  Philadelphia,  and  lined  with  well-planted 
hedges  of  cassava  and  plum ;  houses  surrounded 
with  gardens  luxuriant  with  fruit  and  vegetables ; 
a  school-house  full  of  orderly  children,  neatly 
dressed  and  studiously  engaged ;  and  then  say 
whether  I  was  guilty  of  extravagance  in  exclaim 
ing,  as  I  did  after  surveying  this  most  lovely  scene, 
that  had  the  Colonization  Society  accomplished 
nothing  more  than  had  been  done  in  the  rescue 
from  slavery  and  savage  habits  of  these  three  hun 
dred  happy  people,  I  should  be  well  satisfied." 


END   OF   PART   I, 


PART  II. 

INTERESTING  ANECDOTES, 
&c. 


EBEDMELECK'S  KINDNESS. 

"CAN  the  Ethiopian  change  his  skin,  or  the 
leopard  his  spots  ?"  No ;  the  laws  of  Providence 
are  fixed.  Although  God  has  made  men  of  vari 
ous  colors,  and  scattered  them  over  the  habitable 
globe,  yet  all  alike  are  the  objects  of  his  care ;  and 
to  them  has  he  manifested,  through  all  generations, 
the  greatness  of  his  power,  the  wisdom  of  his 
ways,  and  the  tenderness  of  his  love. 

2.  Many  instances  of  his  peculiar  favor  to  the 
faithful  and  obedient,  are  recorded  in  the  Bible  for 
our  encouragement.  In  the  time  of  Jeremiah  the 
prophet,  when  the  King  of  Babylon  had  carried 
away  many  of  the  Jews  into  captivity,  but  had  left 
a  number  at  Jerusalem,  to  have  charge  of  the  city, 
and  had  placed  Zedekiah  as  king  over  them,  they 
rebelled  against  the  Babylonians,  and  would  not 


196  EBEDMELECK'S  KINDNESS. 

submit  to  their  government,  though  they  were  per 
mitted  the  free  use  of  their  own  laws. 

3.  For  this  rebellious  and  obstinate  disposition, 
they  were  frequently  reproved  of  the  Lord  by  the 
mouth  of  the  prophet  Jeremiah ;  but  they  would 
not   listen    to   his    counsel ;    and   hardening  their 
hearts,  even  to  cruelty,  they  cast  the  prophet  into 
a  deep  pit,  where  there  was  much  mire  and  filth, 
so  that  he  was  nigh  unto  death.    At  this  time,  there 
was  in  the  king's  house  a  pious  and  noted  Elhio 
pian,  (an  African,)  whose  name  was  Ebedmeleck. 

4.  He  was  much  affected  with  the  cruelty  of 
King  Zedekiah  and  his  princes  toward  Jeremiah, 
and  he  took  the  liberty  of  stating  to  the  king  the 
sufferings   of  Jeremiah,  and  the  probability  that  if 
he  remained  there  much  longer,  he  would  die  of 
hunger  and  suffocation.     This  statement  so  wrought 
on  the  feelings  of  the  king,  that  he  gave  Ebedme 
leck  permission  to  go  and  raise  him  out  of  his 
dungeon.     So  taking  with  him  a  sufficient  number 
of  men,  he  let  down  cords  to  Jeremiah,  and  direct 
ing  him  to  place  them  properly  under  his  arms, 
they  drew  him  out,  and  he  remained  in  the  court 
of  the  prison. 

5.  While  Jeremiah  was  in  this  latter  place  of 
confinement,  the  word  of"  the  Lord  to  him  was  : 
"  Speak  to  Ebedmeleck,  saying,  Thus  saith  the 
Lord  of  hosts,  the  God  of  Israel,  Behold,  I  will 
bring  my  words  upon  this  city  for  evil,  and  not  for 
good  ;  and  they  shall  be  accomplished  in  that  day 


EBEDMELECK'S  KINDNESS.  197 

before  thee.  But  I  will  deliver  thee  in  that  day, 
and  thou  shall  not  be  given  into  the  hand  ^of  the 
men  of  whom  thou  art  afraid.  For  I  will  surely 
deliver  thee,  and  thou  shalt  not  fall  by  the  sword, 
but  thy  life  shall  be  for  a  prey  unto  thee ;  because 
thou  hast  put  thy  trust  in  me,  saith  the  Lord." 

6.  Thus  we  see,  that, long  before  the  declaration 
was  made  by  Christ  to  his  apostles,  the  law  by 
which  mankind  were  governed,  was  as  it  still  re 
mains  to  be — "  Blessed  are  the  merciful,  for  they 
shall  obtain  mercy ;"  and,   "  With  what  measure 
ye  mete,  it  shall  be  measured  to  you  again." 

7.  In  a  short  time  after  this  message  was  deliv 
ered  by  Jeremiah  to   Ebedmeleck,   the  King  of 
Babylon  again  sent  his  army  against  Jerusalem, 
broke  down  its  walls,  and  made  captives  of  many 
of  the  inhabitants,  among  whom  were  Zedekiah, 
with  his  sons   and  his  princes.      The   sons  and 
princes  were  put  to  death,  but  after  putting  out 
the  eyes  of  Zedekiah,  and  binding  him  with  chains, 
they  carried  him  with  many  of  the  Jews  to  Baby 
lon,  and  put  him  in  prison,  where  he  remained 
until  his  death. 

8.  But  while  the  King  of  Babylon  was  thus  in 
censed   against   Zedekiah   for  his  rebellion,   and 
chastising  him  for  his  obstinacy,  he  remembered 
Jeremiah,  and  gave  his  principal  officer  a  particu 
lar  charge  respecting  him,  saying,  "  Take  him  and 
look  well  to  him,  and  do  him  no  harm ;   but  do 
unto  him  even  as  he  shall  say  unto  thee."    So 

17* 


198  EBEDMELECK'S  KINDNESS. 

Jeremiah  was  taken  out  of  the  court  of  the  prison, 
and  committed  to  the  care  of  Gedeliah,  that  he 
should  carry  him  home,  and  take  care  of  him : 
and  he  dwelt  among  the  people. 

9.  Thus  was  the  promise  of  the  Lord  fulfilled. 
For  in  the  day  that  he  called  him  to  be  a  prophet, 
and  put  his  word  in  his  mouth,  he  declared  that 
though  they  should  rise  up  and  fight  against  him, 
they  should  not  prevail ;  "  For  I  am  with  thee, 
saith  the  Lord,  to  deliver  thee." 

10.  And  although  we  have  no  further  account 
of  Ebedmeleck,  yet  we  have  every  reason  to  be 
lieve  that  the  promise  to  him  was  also  fulfilled ; 
as  it  was  made  by  Him  whose  promises  are  sure, 
and  whose  word  faileth  not. 


THE    GOOD    MASTER,    ETC.  199 


TWO    INSTANCES    OF    GENUINE    BENEVOLENCE 
AND    STRONG    ATTACHMENT. 

t   '*•»''  -r  '•"  •-  '        '    '  t     '     *     ,  • 

THE  GOOD  MASTER  AND  HIS  FAITHFUL 
SLAVE. 

Translated  from  the  French. 

WARNER  MIFFLIN,  for  his  candor,  affability,  and 
knowledge,  was  ranked  among  those  who  are  an 
honor  to  their  country  and  their  age.  He  had  re 
ceived  from  his  father  thirty-seven  negroes,  old 
and  young.  The  day  that  he  had  fixed  upon  for 
their  emancipation  being  come,  he  called  them, 
one  after  another  into  his  chamber,  and  this  was 
the  conversation  that  passed  with  one  of  them  : — 

2.  "  Well,  my  friend  James,  how  old  art  thou  ?" 
"  I  am  twenty-nine  and  a  half  years  old,  master." 
"  Thou  shouldst  have  been  free,  as  thy  white 
brethren  are,  at  twenty-one.  Religion  and  human 
ity  enjoin  me  this  day  to  give  thee  thy  liberty,  and 
justice  requires  me  to  pay  thee  for  eight  and  a  half 
years'  service,  at  the  rate  of  twenty-one  pounds 
and  five  shillings  per  annum,  including  in  it  thy 
food  and  raiment,  making  altogether  a  sum  of 
ninety-five  pounds,  twelve  shillings,  and  six  pence 
owing  to  thee ;  but  as  thou  art  young  and  healthy, 
thou  hadst  better  work  for  thy  living :  my  inten- 


200  THE  GOOD  MASTER 

tion  is  to  give  thee  a  bond  for  it,  bearing  interest 
at  the  rate  of  seven  per  cent. 

3.  "  Thou  hast  now  no  master  but  God  and  the 
laws.     Go  into  the  next  room ;  thou  wilt  find  there 
thy  late  mistress  and  my  nephew ;  they  are  en 
gaged  in  writing   thy  manumission.      May   God 
bless  thee,  James  !     Be  wise  and  industrious ;  in 
all  thy  trials,  thou  wilt  find  a  friend  in  thy  old 
master." 

4.  James,  surprised  at  a  scene  so  new  and  af 
fecting,  shed  many  tears  ;  astonishment,  gratitude, 
and  a  variety  of  feelings,  shook  his  frame.     He 
shed  a  flood  of  tears,  and  eould  scarcely  articulate 
these  words  :  "  Ah,  my  master  !  why  do  you  give 
me  my  liberty  ?     I  have  always  had  what  I  want 
ed:  we  have  worked  together  in  the  fields,  and  I 
have  worked  as  much  for  myself  as  for  you. 

5.  "  I  have  eaten  of  the  same  food,  and  been 
clothed  like  you — and  we  have  gone  together  on 
foot  to  meeting.     We  have  the   Sabbath  to  our 
selves  :  we  don't  lack  any  thing.     When  we  are 
sick,  our  good  and  tender  mistress   comes  to  our 
bedside,  always  saying  something  consolatory  to 
iis.     Ah,  my  dear  master  I  when  I  am  free,  where 
shall  I  go  ?  and  when  I  am  sick — n 

6.  "Thou  shall  be  as  the  whites;  thou  shah 
hire   with   those    who   will    give    thee   generous 
wages  i   in  a  few  years,  thou  shalt  purchase  a 
piece  of  land,  marry  a  wife,  wise  and  industrious 
as  thyself,  and  rear  up  children,  as  I  have  reared 


AND   FAITHFUL   SLAVE.  201 

thee,  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord  and  love  of  labor. 

After  having  lived  free  and  happy,  thou  shalt  die 

. 

in  peace. 

7.  "  Thou  must  accept  liberty,  James ;  it  is  a 
great  while  since  it  was  due  to  thee.     Would  to 
God,  the  Father  of  all  men,  that  the  whites  had 
never  thought  of  trading  in  thy  African  brethren : 
may  he  inspire  all  men  with  the  desire  of  follow 
ing  our  example.     We,  who  regard  liberty  as  the 
first  of  blessings,  why  should  we  refuse  it  to  those 
who  live  among  us  ?" 

8.  "  Ah,  my  master !  you  are  so  good  is  the 
reason  I  wish  not  to  leave  you — /  have  never  been 
a  slave.     You  have  never  spoken  to  me  but  as 
you  speak  to  white  men ;  I  have  lacked  nothing, 
either   in  sickness   or  in   health ;   I   have   never 
worked  more  than  your  neighbors,  who  have  work 
ed  for  themselves. 

9.  "  I  have  been  richer  than  many  whites— to 
some  of  whom  I  have  lent  money.   And  my  good 
and  tender  mistress  never  commands  us  to  do  any 
thing,  but  makes  us  do  every  thing  by  only  saying, 
*  Please  to  do  it.'    How  shall  I  leave  you  ?  give  me 
by  the  year  what  you  will,  in  the  name  of  a  free 
man  or  a  slave,  it  is  of  little  consequence  to  me — 
I  shall  never  be  happy  but  with  you — I  will  never 
leave  you." 

10.  "Well,  James,  I  consent  to  what  thou  de- 
sirest:  after  thy  manumission  shall  have  passed 
through  the  necessary  forms,  I  will  hire  thee  by 


202  EZEKIEL    COSTON. 

the  year ;  but  take  at  least  one  week  of  relaxation ; 
it  is  a  great  epoch  of  thy  life ;  celebrate  it  with 
joy,  and  rest  by  doing  whatsoever  thou  wilt." 

11.  "No,  master!  it  is  seed  time — I  will  take 
my  pleasure  another  time — one  day  only  shall  be 
a  holiday  in  my  family.  Then,  since  you  will  have 
it  so,  I  will  accept  my  liberty  ;  and  my  first  action, 
as  a  free  man,  is  to  take  your  hand,  my  master, 
press  it  between  mine,  and  lay  it  on  my  heart ; 
where  the  attachment  and  gratitude  of  James  will 
not  cease,  until  that  ceases  to  beat ;  and  until  that 
moment,  be  assured  that  no  laborer  in  the  county 
of  Kent,  will  be  more  industrious  than  he  who 
henceforth  shall  be  called  FAITFHUL  JAMES."* 


EZEKIEL  COSTON, 

AGED  upward  of  eighty-three  years,  related  to 
Samuel  Canby,  of  Wilmington,  Delaware,  in  Sec 
ond  month,  1825,  the  following  circumstances  of 
his  freedom  from  his  master,  the  late  Warner  Mif- 
flin,  with  other  incidents  of  his  life :  and  it  may 
be  observed,  that  he  has  always  supported  an  un 
blemished  character : — 

2.  That  he  was  born  a  slave  in  the  family  of 
Daniel  Mifflin,  of  Accomack  county,  Virginia,  with 

*  This  account,  with  additional  particulars,  may  be  found  in  the 
"RecueU  Choisi,"  under  'the  head  of  "Le  Genema  Quaker." 


EZEKIEL   COSTON,  203 

whom  he  lived  until  about  twenty  years  of  age ; 
about  which  period,  Warner  Mifflin  (son  of  Dan 
iel)  married  a  daughter  of  John  Kensey's,  of  West 
River,  Maryland,  and  settled  near  Camden,  in  the 
state  of  Delaware-  Ezekiel,  and  five  other  slaves, 
were  given  him  by  his  father ;  there  were  also  a 
number  of  slaves  belonging  to  his  wife  brought 
into  the  family. 

3.  He  lived  with  Warner  Mifflin  about  eighteen 
months,  when  he  put  him  on  a  plantation  of  his 
to  work  it,  about  six  miles  from  his  residence, 
where  he  continued  about  four  years  a  slave.     At 
this  period,  Ezekiel  was  informed  by  his  master, 
that  he  had  concluded  to  set  his  slaves  free :  and 
very  soon  after,  his  master  came  to  his  residence, 
and   calling  him   from   the  field,  where  he  was 
ploughing,  they  sat  down  together,  when  he  told 
Ezekiel  his  mind  had  long  been  uneasy  with  hold 
ing  slaves,  and  that  he  must  let  him  go. 

4.  Ezekiel  was  so  well  satisfied  with  his  present 
situation,  that  he  told  his  master  he  could  not  leave 
him.     Their  conversation  on  the  subject  produced 
such  feelings  of  tenderness,  that  they  both  wept 
much.     Finally,  as  an  inducement  to  comply,  his 
master  told  him  he  might  remain  on  the  farm ;  and 
they  entered  into  a  mutual  engagement,  which  was 
carried  into  effect,  and  Ezekiel  continued  to  live 
on  the  farm  fourteen  years ;  when  his  master  gave 
him  a  piece  of  land,  upon  which  he  built  a  house, 
where  he  remained  until  he  came  into  the  neigh- 


204  EZEK1EL    COSTON. 

borhood  of  Wilmington ;  where,  and  in  that  town 
he  has  resided  until  the  present  time. 

5.  After  relating  the  foregoing  narrative,  he  was 
inquired  of  respecting  the  account  entitled  "  The 
Good  Master  and  his  Faithful  Slave" — a  circum 
stance  which  took  place  about  the   time  of   his 
being  liberated,  and  in  the  same  family — to  which 
he  bore  the  following  testimony,  shedding  many 
tears  while  the  reader  was  pursuing  the   theme, 
saying,  "  It  is  just  so  \  poor  Jem  and  I  lived  to 
gether  with  master,  and  worked  together  in  har 
mony.     How  well  I  remember  when  Jem  told  me 
that  Master  Mifflin  had  done  the  same  by  him  as 
he  had  done  for  me. 

6.  "  It  is  all  true — mistress  brought  a  number  of 
slaves  with  her  into  the  family,  after  master  mar 
ried  her — one  of  them  was  my  wife — all  the  rest 
of  us,  making,  I  suppose,  about  thirty,  were  given 
by  old  master  to  Master  Warner,  who  is  now  an 
angel  in  heaven.     O  !  how  it  comforts  me  to  be 
lieve,  that  after  suffering  a  few  more  pains,  I  shall 
live  with  him  for  ever  in  communion  sweet  \    We 
were  brought  up  children  together,  slept  together, 
eat  at  the  same  table,  and  never  quarrelled." 

7.  The  dear  old  man  seems  indeed   like  one 
waiting  with  Christian  resignation  for  an  entrance 
into  the  heavenly  kingdom.     I  have  no  doubt  of 
the  correctness  of  his  testimony.     He  appears  to 
have  as  perfect  a  recollection  of  the  days  of  his 
childhood,  as  though  they  had  but  just  passed. 


AN   ANECDOTE.  205 


AN  ANECDOTE 

Communicated  to  D.  B.  Smith  and  Stacy  B.  Collins,  on  the  way 
from  Charleston  to  Savannah,  by  a  fellow-passenger. 

A  SLAVE  belonging  to  his  grandmother,  was  car 
ried  off  when  a  boy  by  the  British,  in  the  time  of 
the  revolutionary  war,  to  Nova  Scotia,  where  he 
lived  several  years  ;  but  he  did  not  forget  his  old 
home  and  friends,  and  he  returned  to  his  mistress, 
giving  himself  up  as  a  slave.  But  she,  not  having 
employment  for  him,  talked  of  selling  him.  He 
told  her  if  she  did,  he  was  determined  to  destroy 
himself,  for  that  it  was  nothing  but  his  attachment 
to  the  family  that  brought  him  back.  He  was 
then  suffered  to  work  out,  paying  a  certain  part  of 
his  wages  to  his  owner. 

O 

2.  The  family  soon  after  became  embarrassed ; 
and  one  of  the  grandsons  was  sent  to  the  West 
Indies  to  a  relation.  Just  as  he  was  embarking, 
the  faithful  black  put  into  his  hand  a  purse,  con 
taining  all  his  little  earnings,  and  insisted  upon  his 
young  master's  taking  it,  saying  he  had  no  use  for 
the  money  himself,  and  his  master  might  want  it 
in  a  strange  country,  away  from  his  friends.  The 
black,  still  living  in  Charleston,  was  suffered  to 
work  for  himself.  He  has  had  repeated  offers  of 
his  liberty,  but  he  prefers  living  in  the  family  that 

brought  him  up. 

18 


206        THE  COLORED  FOUNDLING. 


THE  COLORED  FOUNDLING. 

A  POOR,  but  honest  and  respectable,  old  black 
man,  whose  name  was  Hector,  resided  in  Philadel 
phia.  He  and  his  wife  lived  on  the  scanty  earnings 
of  their  own  hands,  in  a  very  small  cottage.  One 
evening,  at  a  late  hour,  a  woman  of  their  own 
color,  with  an  infant,  stopped  at  their  dwelling  and 
asked  for  a  night's  lodging,  to  which  his  wife  an 
swered,  "We  can't  lodge  you,  we  got  but  one 
bed."  "  O,"  said  the  old  man,  seeing  her  a  stran 
ger,  and  in  difficulty,  "  let  her  tag,  [stay,]  she  sleep 
in  de  bed  with  you,  I  go  make  a  bed  on  de  floor — 
must  not  turn  her  out  o'  doors.'' 

2.  The  woman  accordingly  stayed ;  and  in  the 
night,  Hector   was   awaked  by  the  cries   of  the 
child.     He  arose  to  ascertain  the   cause  of  it,  and 
found  the  mother  was  gone  ;  on  which  he  aroused 
his  wife,  saying,   "Well,  Sukey,  you   see  de  wo 
man  has  gone  off  and  lef '  de  child  for  you."     "  0  !" 
said  his  wife,  "  what  shall  we  do  now  ?  she  never 
come  again."     "  Well,"  returned  Hector,   "  then 
you  must  take  care  of   him :   who  knows  God 
Almighty  send  him  here  for  something — may  be 
to  take  care  of  us  in  our  old  age — must  not  turn 
him  out  o'  doors." 

3.  So  they  fed  and  nourished  it  with  milk  from 
the  market — the  old  man  going  regularly  to  pro- 


TWO   PETITIONS.  207 

cure  it.  No  one  appearing,  the  child  became  their 
adopted.  When  he  had  attained  the  age  of  eight 
or  nine  years,  proving  an  active  lad,  they  put  him 
to  a  chimney-sweeper,  as  the  most  likely  way  for 
him  to  become  early  useful,  and  he  soon  contrib 
uted  a  little  to  his  guardians'  subsistence. 

4.  They  at  length  grew  quite  infirm,  and  the 
wife  died.  After  which,  the  neighbors,  thinking  it 
too  much  for  the  lad  to  have  the  whole  care  of  the 
old  man,  prevailed  on  him  to  go  to  the  Bettering 
House.  When  there,  the  boy  did  not  forsake,  but 
frequently  visited  him,  and  continued  to  add  to  his 
support  until  he  died  ;  a  few  days  after  which,  the 
lad  died  also,  having  grown  up  beloved  and  re 
spected. 


TWO  PETITIONS, 

FROM  Southwark  and  its  vicinity,  praying  for 
the  immediate  and  universal  abolition  of  the  slave 
trade,  were  presented  to  parliament  in  1814;  one 
to  the  House  of  Lords,  by  the  Duke  of  Sussex, 
the  other  to  the  House  of  Commons,  by  Henry 
Thornton.  Each  petition  weighed  35  pounds, 
contained  252  skins  of  parchment,  measured  579 
feet,  and  was  signed  by  35,127  persons.  They 
were  carried  into  the  houses  by  the  negro  lads 
training  by  the  British  and  Foreign  School  Soci 
ety,  as  school-masters  for  Africa. 

ft 


203  LOUIS  DESROULEAUX. 


LOUIS  DESROULEAUX. 

THE  anecdote  of  Louis  Desrouleaux,  a  negro 
pastry-cook  of  Nantes,  is  little  known.  After  he 
left  Nantes,  he  lived  at  the  Cape,  where  he  had 
been  a  slave  of  Pinsum,  of  Bayonne,  a  captain  in 
the  slave  trade,  who  came  with  great  riches  to 
France,  where  he  lost  it  all,  and  returned  to  St. 
Domingo.  Those  Avho,  when  he  was  rich,  called 
themselves  his  friends,  now  took  very  little  notice 
of  him. 

2.  Louis,  who   had  acquired  a  fortune   by  his 
industry  and  prudence,  supplied  their  place.     He 
learned  the  situation  of  his  old  master,  hastened  to 
find  him,  gave  him  lodging  and  nourishment,  and 
also  proposed  that  he  should  live  in  France,  where 
his  feelings  would  not  be  mortified  by  the  sight  of 
ungrateful  men. 

3.  "  But  I  cannot  find  a  subsistence  in  France," 
said  Pinsum.     "  Will  an  annual  revenue  of  fifteen 
thousand  francs  be  sufficient  ?"     At  this  proposal, 
Pinsum  wept  for  joy.     The  contract  was  signed, 
and  the  pension  regularly  paid,  until  the  death  of 
Louis  Desrouleaux,  which  happened  in  1774. 


«*»» 

THE    GRATEFUL    NEGRO.  209 


THE  GRATEFUL  NEGRO. 

SOME  years  since,  a  gentleman  who  was  the 
possessor  of  considerable  property,  from  various 
causes,  became  embarrassed  in  his  circumstances 
and  was  arrested  by  his  creditors,  and  confined  in 
the  king's  bench  prison  ;  whence  there  was  no 
probability  of  his  being  liberated,  unless  some  law 
proceedings  (upon  his  succeeding  in  which  the 
recovery  of  a  great  part  of  his  property  depended) 
were  decided  in  his  favor. 

2.  Thus  situated,  he  called  a  negro  who  had  for 
many  years  served  him  with  the  greatest  faithful 
ness,  and  said,  "  Robert,  you  have  lived  with  me 
many  years,  but  I  am  now  unable  to  maintain  you 
any  longer ;  you  must  leave  me,  and  endeavor  to 
find  another  master." 

3.  The  poor  negro,  well  remembering  his  mas 
ter's  kindness,  replied,  "  No,  massa,  me   no  leave 
you ;  you  maintain  me  many  years,  me  now  try 
what  I  can  do  for  you."     Robert  then  went  and 
procured  employment  as  a  day  laborer,  and  regu 
larly  brought  his  earnings  to  his  master;  on  which, 
although  small,  they  managed  to  subsist  for  some 
time,  until  the  law  suit  was  decided  in  the  master's 
favor,  and  he  thereby  regained  possession  of  a  very 
considerable  property. 

18* 


210  THE    FAITHFUL   NEGRESS. 

4.  Mindful  of  his  faithful  negro,  one  of  his  first 
acts  was  to  settle  an  annuity  upon  him  for  the  re 
mainder  of  his  life,  sufficient  to  secure  to  the  poor 
fellow  the  enjoyment  of  those  comforts  he  had  so 
well  deserved.  This  little  anecdote  may  afford 
instruction  both  to  the  nominal  and  professing 
Christian:  let  the  former  inquire,  Should  I  have 
acted  thus,  if  in  a  similar  situation  ? 


THE     FAITHFUL    NEGRESS. 

FROM  THE  LADIES'  MONTHLY  MUSEUM. 

IN  the  dreadful  earthquake  which  made  such 
ravages  in  the  island  of  St.  Domingo,  in  the  year 
1770,  a  negress  of  Port-au-Prince,  found  herself 
alone  in  the  house  of  her  master  and  mistress,  with 
their  youngest  child,  which  she  nursed.  The 
house  shook  to  its  foundation.  Every  one  had 
taken  flight ;  she  alone  could  not  escape,  without 
leaving  her  infant  charge  in  danger. 

2.  She  flew  to  the  chamber,  where  it  lay  in  the 
most  profound  sleep.  At  the  moment  the  walls 
of  the  house  fell  in,  anxious  only  for  the  safety  of 
her  foster  child,  she  threw  herself  over  it,  and,  serv 
ing  as  a  sort  of  arch,  saved  it  from  destruction. 
The  child  was  indeed  saved ;  but  the  unfortunate 
negress  died  soon  after,  the  victim  of  her  fidelity. 


COFFIN.  211 

COFFIN. 

FROM   DR.   MOYES'3   LECTURER. 

DURING  the  late  war,  a  gentleman  and  his  wife 
were  going  from  the  East  Indies  to  England.  His 
wife  died  on  the  passage,  and  left  two  infants,  the 
charge  of  which  fell  to  a  negro  boy  about  seven 
teen  years  of  age.  The  gentleman,  for  some 
reason  which  I  do  not  recollect,  went  on  board 
the  vessel  of  the  commodore  of  the  fleet  in  which 
they  sailed.  There  came  on  a  violent  storm,  and 
the  vessel  which  the  children  were  on  board  of, 
was  on  the  point  of  being  lost. 

2.  They  despatched  a  boat  from  the  commo 
dore's  vessel,  to  save  as  many  as  they  could.  They 
.had  almost  filled  the  boat,  and  there  was  room 
enough  for  the  infants,  or  the  negro  boy.  What 
did  he  do  ?  He  did  not  hesitate  a  moment,  but 
put  the  children  into  the  boat,  and  said,  "  Tell  my 
master  that  Coffin  has  done  his  duty ;"  and  that 
instant  he  was  received  into  the  bosom  of  the 
ocean,  never  more  to  return.  The  queen  request 
ed  the  celebrated  poetess,  Hannah  More,  to  write 
an  epic  poem  on  it,  but  she  wisely  declined  it, 
saying  that  no  art  could  embellish  so  noble  a 
sentiment. 


212  JOB   BEN    SOLOMON. 


JOB  BEN  SOLOMON 

AN  African,  of  an  uncommonly  retentive  mem 
ory,  was  son  of  the  Mohammedan  king  of  Bunda, 
on  the  Gambia.  He  was  taken  in  1730,  brought 
to  America,  and  sold  in  Maryland.  By  a  train  of 
extraordinary  adventures,  he  was  at  length  taken 
to  England,  where  his  dignified  and  pleasing  man 
ners,  and  his  superior  talents,  gained  him  many 
friends  ;  and  among  others  Hawstone,  baronet,  for 
whom  he  translated  several  Arabic  manuscripts. 

2.  After  being  received  and  treated  with  respect 
at  the  court  of  St.  James,  the  African  Company  re- 
conducted  him  to  Bunda.  One  of  his  uncles,  who 
resides  there,  embracing  him,  said,  "  During  sixty 
years,  thou  art  the  first  slave  that  I  have  seen  re 
turn  from  the  American  isles."  He  wrote  many 
letters  to  his  friends  in  Europe  and  America,  which 
were  translated  and  perused  with  interest.  At  his 
father's  death,  he  became  his  successor,  and  was 
much  beloved  by  his  subjects. 


ANTHONY  WILLIAM  AMO.  213 


ANTHONY  WILLIAM  AMO, 

BORN  in  Guinea,  was  brought  to  Europe  when 
very  young,  and  the  Princess  of  Brunswick  Wol- 
fenbuttle  took  charge  of  his  education.  He  pur 
sued  his  studies  at  Halle,  in  Saxony,  and  at  Wit- 
temberg ;  and  so  distinguished  himself  by  his  tal 
ents  and  good  conduct,  that  the  rector  and  council 
of  the  university  of  the  last-mentioned  town,  gave 
a  public  testimony  of  the  same  in  a  letter  of  con 
gratulation. 

2.  Amo,  skilled  in  the  knowledge  of  the  Latin 
and  Greek  languages,  delivered  with  success,  pri 
vate    lectures   on  philosophy,   which   are   highly 
praised  in  the  same  letters.     In  an  abstract  pub 
lished  by  the  dean  of  the  philosophical  faculty,  it 
is  said  of  this  learned  negro,  that,  having  examined 
both  systems,  ancient  and  modern,  he  selected  and 
taught  all  that  was  best  of  them. 

3.  He  became  a  doctor,  and  in  1744  published 
dissertations  on  some  subjects  which  obtained  the 
approbation  of  the  University  of  Wittemberg ;  and 
the  president,  when  speaking  of  one  of  them,  says, 
"  It  underwent  no  change,  because  it  was  well  ex 
ecuted,  and  it  indicates  a  mind  exercised  in  re 
flection."     But  what  became  of  him  afterward,  is 
not  recorded  in  the  work  from  which  these  extracts 
are  taken. 


214  JAMES  DERHAM 


BERONICUS, 

A  CHIMNEY-SWEEPER  in  Holland,  united  that 
occupation,  which  is  considered  the  most  unfavor 
able  to  mental  improvement,  with  that  of  a  poetic 
genius,  and  wrote  many  pieces  of  Latin  verse. 
And  his  poems,  in  two  books,  entitled,  "  Georgas, 
or  the  Battle  between  the  Peasants  and  the  Great," 
was  translated  and  reprinted  at  Middlebury,  in 
1766. 


JAMES  DERHAM, 

ORIGINALLY  a  slave  in  Philadelphia,  was  sold 
by  his  master  to  a  physician,  who  employed  him 
in  his  shop  as  assistant  in  the  preparation  of  drugs. 
During  the  war  between  America  and  England,  he 
was  sold  to  a  surgeon,  and  by  that  surgeon  to  Dr. 
Robert  Dove,  of  New  Orleans.  He  learned  the 
English,  French,  and  Spanish  languages,  so  as  to 
speak  them  with  ease. 

2.  He  was  received  a  member  of  the  English 
church  :  and  in  the  year  1788,  when  he  was  about 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  he  became  one  of  the 
most  distinguished  physicians  in  New  Orleans.  "  I 


JAMES   DERHAM.  215 

conversed  with  him  on  medicine,"  says  Dr.  Rush, 
"  and  found  him  very  learned.  I  thought  I  could 
give  him  information  concerning  the  treatment  of 
diseases,  but  I  learned  more  from  him  than  he 
could  expect  from  me." 

3.  The  Pennsylvania  Society,  established  in  fa 
vor  of  the  people  of  color,  thought  it  their  duty,  in 
1789,  to  publish  these  facts,  which  are  also  related 
by  Dickson,  page  184.  In  the  Domestic  Medicine 
of  Buchan,  and  in  a  work  of  Duplaint,  we  find  ac 
counts  of  a  cure  for  the  bite  of  the  rattlesnake  I 
know  not  whether  Derham  was  its  discoverer,  but 
it  is  a  well-known  fact  that  one  of  his  color  did 
make  such  a  discovery,  for  which  he  received, 
from  the  General  Assembly  of  Carolina,  his  free 
dom  and  an  annuity  of  a  hundred  pounds  sterling. 


216    THE  SWEEP  AND  THE  TOMBSTONES. 


THE  SWEEP  AND  THE  TOMBSTONES. 

FROM  THE  NEW  YORK  OBSERVER. 

SOME  lime  ago,  you  printed  an  account,  which  I 
sent  you,  of  two  little  sweeps.  I  now  send  you  an 
anecdote  about  another  of  these  poor  boys.  It  is 
written  down  nearly  as  it  was  communicated  to 
me  :  Jack  had  been  several  years  apprenticed  to 
his  master,  and  was  almost  twelve  years  old,  but 
he  could  not  read.  No  person  had  ever  taken  any 
pains  to  teach  him,  and  his  master,  though  kind, 
was  an  ignorant  man,  and  there  was  not  a  book  in 
his  house. 

2.  One  day,  as  Jack  was  going  along  the  street, 
he   saw  several  school  boys,  about  his   own  age, 
playing  at  marbles,  and  as  he  was  very  fond  of  the 
game,  he  stopped  to  look  at  them.     His  attention 
was  soon  caught  by  something  new  to  him ;  this 
was  their  books,  ranged  in  a  line  by  the  side  of  a 
wall.     He  ventured  to  take  hold  of  one,  and  was 
turning  over  the  leaves,  when  the  boy  to  whom  it 
belonged  came  up,  and  angrily  asked  him  what  he 
was  about. 

3.  Jack  took  some  marbles  out  of  his  pocket, 
and  offered  to  give  them  to  the  boy,  if  he  would 
let  him  look  at  the  book  till  the  game  was  over. 
The  owner  consented,  and  Jack  turned  over  the 
leaves,  but  of  course  could  not  make  out  its  con- 


THE    SWEEP    AND   THE    TOMBSTONES.         217 

tents.  The  game  being  ended,  the  boys  dispersed  ; 
Jack  returned  the  book,  and  asked  the  boy  many 
questions  about  reading,  and  for  another  marble 
he  persuaded  him  to  read  some  of  his  lessons  be- 
fore  they  parted. 

4.  The  next  day,  Jack  felt  desirous  to  learn  to 
read   also,  and  not  knowing  any  other  plan,  he 
watched  for  the  boy's  return  from  school,  and  after 
some  talk  about  books,  asked  him  to  teach  him  to 
read,  and  offered  him  a  marble  for  every  letter  he 
taught  him.     The   boy  consented,   and   Jack  set 
about  trying  to  win  marbles  enough  to  pay  his  lit 
tle  master,  and  being  a  good  shot,  ne  succeeded, 
though  not  without  some  pains.*    His  teacher  used 
to  meet  him  every  day  for  some  time,  and  the  little 
sweep  soon  began  to  spell  words  of  one  syllable. 

5.  One  day,  Jack  came  as  before  to  the  place 
where   they  used   to  meet,  but   did  not  find  his 
teacher ;  he  searched  for  him,  and  finding  him  busy 
at  marbles,  he  waited  till  the  game  should  be-  over. 
After  a  short  lime,  to  his  great  sorrow,  the  boy 
called  out,  "  Sootty  boy,  I  can't  teach  you  any 
more ;  father  and  mother  both  have  scolded  me  be 
cause  you  have  dirtied  my  book  with  your  black 
hands." 

6.  Poor  Jack  had  not  expected  this ;  but  he  was 
unwilling  to  be  disappointed,  and  being  very  differ- 


*  The  compiler  approves  of  Jack's  motive,  but  not  the  practice 
of  pl&ying  at  marbles  as  «  game. 

19 


218         THE    SWEEP   AND   THE   TOMBSTONES. 

ent  from  some  idle  children  who  are  glad  of  any 
excuse  to  escape  their  lessons,  he  offered  to  pay 
two  marbles  for  every  lesson,  and  to  wash  his 
hands  carefully  every  day.  This  was  in  vain  ;  his 
teacher  was  either  tired  of  the  task,  or  afraid  of 
being  blamed  about  his  book.  All  now  seemed  to 
be  at  an  end,  when  Jack  recollected  that  he  had 
seen  letters  on  the  tombstones  in  the  churchyard, 
and  as  these  could  not  be  hurt  by  his  black  fingers,, 
he  mentioned  this  plan  to  the  boys,  and  offered  to 
go  on  paying  any  one  who  would  teach  him  to  read 
the  words  on  the  stones. 

7.  The  tffcys  were  struck  with  his  anxiety  to 
learn,  and  agreed  that  they  would  take  it  by  turns 
to  teach  him,  and  immediately  began.     After  con 
tinuing  this  method  for  some  days,  one  of  them 
offered    to  take  him  to  a  Sunday  school.     Jack 
readily  agreed.     The  superintendent  was  pleased 
xvith  his  anxiety  to  learn,  and  took  pains  to  procure 
him  instruction  on  week  days  also.     He  applied 
diligently,  and  soon  was  able  to  read  and  write ; 
and  what  was  far  better,  from  the  instructions  he 
received,  he  was  brought  to  love  the  Bible  and  the 
truths  it  contains. 

8.  If  any  of  your  little  readers  feel  tired  of  their 
lessons,  I  hope  they  will  think  of  the  "  Sweep  and 
the  Tombstones ;"  and  I  hope,  also,  that  like  him 
they  will  learn  the  best  wisdom — "  for  the  soul  to 
be  without  knowledge  is  not  good ;"  but  it  is  of 
very  little  use  to  be  able  to  read  and  write,  if  they 


BENJAMIN    BANNAKER.  219 

remain  ignorant  of  Christ,  or  only  repeat  texts  and 
chapters  by  rote.  Then  "  incline  thine  ear  unto 
wisdom,  and  apply  thy  heart  to  understanding  ; 
if  thou  seekest  for  her  as  for  hid  treasures,  then 
shalt  thou  understand  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  find 
the  knowledge  of  God,"  Prov.  ii.  2,  4,  5. 

ANN  G . 


BENJAMIN    BANNAKER, 

A  NEGRO  of  Maryland,  went  to  Philadelphia,  and 
without  any  other  encouragement  than  his  desire 
ior  acquiring  knowledge — without  books,  except  the 
works  of  Ferguson,  and  the  table  of  Tobias  Mayer, 
— he  applied  himself  to  astronomy,  and  published 
almanacs  for  the  years  1794  and  1795,  at  Phila 
delphia;  in  which  were  calculated  and  exhibited 
the  different  aspects  of  the  planets,  a  table  of  the 
motions  of  the  sun  and  moon,  their  risings  and 
settings,  and  the  courses  of  the  bodies  of  the  plan 
etary  system.  Bannaker  has  received  his  free 
dom. 


220          TWO  NEGROES  IN  FRANCE. 


TWO  NEGROES  IN  FRANCE. 

IN  the  most  flourishing  period  of  the  reign  of 
Louis  XIV.,  two  negro  youths,  the  sons  of  a 
prince,  being  brought  to  the  court  of  France,  the 
king  appointed  a  Jesuit  to  instruct  them  in  letters 
and  in  the  Christian  religion  ;  and  gave  to  each  oi 
them  a  commission  in  his  guards.  The  elder,  who 
was  remarkable  for  candor  and  ingenuousness  made 
great  improvement,  more  particularly  in  the  doc 
trines  of  religion. 

2.  A  brutal  officer,  upon  some  dispute,  insulted 
him  with  a  blow.     The  gallant  youth   never  so 
much  as  offered  to  resent  it.     A  person  who  was 
his  friend  took  an  opportunity  to  talk  with  him  that 
evening  alone  upon  his  behaviour,  which  he  told 
him  was   too  tame,  especially  in  a  soldier.     "  Is 
there  then,"  said  the  young  African,  "  one  revela 
tion   for  soldiers,  and  another  for  merchants  and 
gownsmen  ?     The  good  father  to  whom  I  owe  all 
my   knowledge,  has  earnestly    inculcated   in   me 
forgiveness  of  injuries  ;  assuring  me  that  a  Chris 
tian  was  by  no  means  to  retaliate  abuses  of  any 
kind." 

3.  "  The  good  father,"  replied  his  friend,  "  may 
fit  you  for  a   monastery,  by  his  lessons,  but  never 
for  the  army  and  the  rules  of  a  court.    In  a  word," 
continued  he,  "  if  you  do  not  call  the  colonel  to  an 


TWO  NEGROES  IN  FRANCE.        221 

account,  you  will  be  branded  with  the  infamy  of 
cowardice,  and  have  your  commission  taken  from 
you."  "I  would  fain,"  said  the  young  man,  "act 
consistently  in  every  thing ;  but  since  you  press 
me  with  that  regard  to  my  honor  which  you  have 
always  shown,  I  will  wipe  off  so  foul  a  stain; 
though  I  must  own  I  gloried  in  it  before." 

4.  Immediately  upon  this,  he  desired  his  friend 
lo  go  from  him  and  appoint  the  aggressor  to  meet 
him  early  in  the  morning.     Accordingly,  they  met 
and  fought,  and  the  brave  African  youth  disarmed 
his  adversary,  and  forced  him  to  ask  his  pardon 
publicly.    This  done,  the  next  day  he  threw  up  his 
commission,  and  desired  the  king's  leave  to  return 
to  his  father. 

5.  At  parting,  he  embraced  his  brother  and  his 
friends,  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  saying  that  he  had 
not  imagined  Christians  to  be  so  unaccountable  a 
people  ;  that  he  could  not    apprehend  their   faith 
could  be  of  any  use  to  them,  if  it  did  not  influence 
their  practice  ;  and  that  in  his  country,  they  thought 
it  no  dishonor  to  act  according  to  the.  principles  of 
their  religion, 

19* 


222  UNCLE    HARRY. 


UNCLE    HARRY. 

FROM   THE    LITERARY   AND    EVANGELICAL    MAGAZINE, 
1824. 

LATE  in  the  last  autumn,  it  was  my  privilege, 
(says  the  author,)  to  spend  a  few  hours  in  the  hos 
pitable  mansion  of  the  Rev.  S.  B.  W.,  of  F.  I  ar 
rived  at  his  house  very  early  in  the  morning — just 
before  the  family  assembled  to  perform  their  cus 
tomary  devotions.  On  the  signal  being  given,  the 
children  and  domestics  came  into  the  room  where 
we  were  sitting. 

2.  Among  the  latter,   there   was  a  very  aged 
black  man,  whom  every  one  called  Uncle  Harry. 
As  soon  as  he  entered,  1  observed  that  Mr.  W.  and 
his  lady   treated  him  with  marked  attention  and 
kindness.    The  morning  was  sharp  and  frosty,  and 
Uncle  Harry  had  a  chair  in  the  corner,  close  to  the 
fire. 

3.  The  portion  of  Scripture  selected  for  the  ser 
vice  was  the  second  chapter  of  Luke.     I  observed 
that  the  attention  of  Harry  was  deeply  fixed ;   and 
he  soon  began  to  manifest  strong  emotions.     The 
old  man's   eye  kindled  as  the  reader  went  on,  and 
when  he  came  to  the  tenth  verse,  Harry  appeared 
as  though  his  heart  was  tuned  to  the  angelic  song, 
and    he    could  hardly  help   uttering   a   shout    of 
triumph. 


UNCLE    HARRY.  223 

4.  There  was  not,  however,  the  smallest  osten 
tation  of  feeling,  or  endeavor  to  attract  attention. 
He  only,  in  a  gentle  manner,  turned  his  face  up 
ward,  strongly  clasping  his  hands  as  they  lay  on 
his  lap,  and  expressing  by  his  countenance  the  joy 
of  his  heart.    By  this  time,  he  had  interested  me  so 
highly  that  I  could  not  keep  my  eyes  from  him. 

5.  I  watched  the  varying   expressions    of  his 
countenance,  and  saw  that  every  word  seemed  to 
strike  on  his  heart,  and  produce  a  corresponding 
emotion.     I  thought  I  would  give  the  world,  if  I 
could   read  the  Bible,   just    as  Harry  heard  it 
While  I  was  thinking,  and  looking  -on  with  intense 
interest,  the  reader  came  to  the  passage  where  old 
Simeon  saw  the  infant  Saviour,  took  him  in  his 
arms,  blessed  God,  and   said,  "  Lord,  now  lettest 
thou  thy  servant  depart  in  peace,  for  mine  eyes 
have  seen  thy  salvation." 

6.  Harry's  emotion  had  become  stronger  and 
stronger,  until  the  words  just  quoted  were  read, 
when  he  was  completely  overpowered.     Suddenly 
turning  on  his  seat,  to  hide  as  much  as  possible  his 
feelings,  he  bent  forward  and  burst  into  a  flood  of 
tears ;  but  they  were  tears  of  joy.     He  anticipated 
his  speedy  peaceful  departure,  and  his  final  resL 
This  state  of  feeling  continued  during  the  remain 
der  of  the  service,  and  when  we  rose  from  our 
knees,  Uncle  Harry's  face  seemed  literally  to  have 
been  bathed  in  tears. 

7.  As  soon  as  we  had  risen,  the  old  man  came 


224  UNCLE    HARRY, 

toward  me  with  a  countenance  beaming  with  joy. 
"  This,"  said  Mr.  W.,  addressing  me,  "  is  Uncle 
Harry"  He  reached  out  his  hand  and  said,  "  O  f 
•why  did  my  God  bring  me  here  to-day,  to  hear 
what  I  have  heard,  and  see  this  salvation  ?"  I  ask 
ed,  "  Are,  you  as  ready  to  depart,  Uncle  Harry,  as 
good  old  Simeon  was,  of  whom  we  read  in  this 
chapter,  ?"  I  shall  never  forget  his  look  of  humble, 
joyful  submission,  when  he  replied,  "  Just  when  it 
shall  please  my  blessed  Lord  and  Master."  "  You 
hope  to  go  to  heaven  ?"  "  Through  divine  mercy,, 
I  do."  "What  is  the  foundation  of  that  hope  T 
"  The  righteousness  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ." 

8.  On  perceiving  that  I  wished  to  converse  with 
the  old  man,  Mr.  W.  said,  with  a  kindness  which 
showed  that  he  recognised   Harry  as  a  Christian 
brother,  and  respected  his  age,  "  Come,  take  your 
seat  again,  Uncle  Harry,  and  sit  up  near  the  fire." 
He  accepted  the  invitation,  and  I  entered  into  con 
versation,  which  afforded  me  higher  pleasure  than 
I  ever  enjoyed  in  the  circles   of  fashion,  beauty, 
wit,  and  learning.     I  here  send  you  some  of  the 
most  interesting  particulars. 

9.  "  How  old  are  you,  Uncle  Harry  ?"     "  Why, 
as  nigh  as  I  can  tell,  I  am  eighty-nine  or  thereabout." 
"  Where  were  you  born  ?"     "  At  Port  Tobacco,  in 
Maryland."     "And  who  had  you   to  preach  the 
gospel  to  you  there  ?"     *'  Ah  !  we  had  no  preacher 
of  the  gospel  there  at  that  time."     "  Then  it  was 


UNCLE    HARRY,  225 

after  you  left  Port  Tobacco,  thai  you  embraced 
religion,  was  it  ?"  "  No,  sir,  it  was  while  I  lived 
there,  and  I  will  tell  you  how  it  was :  A  great 
many  years  ago,  there  was  one  Dr.  Whitefield, 
that  travelled  all  through  this  country,  preaching 
the  gospel  every  where — I  dare  say  you  have 
heard  of  Dr.  Whitefield ;  he  was  a  most  powerful 
preacher. 

10.  "Well,  as  I  was  saying,  he  went  through 
Maryland ;  but  his  place  of  preaching  was  so  far 
off,  that  I  did  not  hear  of  it  until  he  was  gone.    But 
not  long  afterward,  I  met  a  man,  an  acquaintance  of 
mine,  who  did  hear  him.     He  told  me  about  the 
sermon ;  and  what  I  heard  opened  my  eyes  to  see 
that  I  was  a  poor  lost  sinner ;  and  ever  since  that 
time,  I  have  been  determined  to  seek  Jesus  as  my 
Saviour,  and  to  spend  my  life  in  his  service." 

11.  Happy  Whitefield!  thought  I,  and  greatly 
honored  of  thy  Master,  who  has   used  thee  as  his 
instrument  in  saving  so  many  souls.     "  But,"  said 
I,  "  how  old  were  you  then  ?"     "  Why,  as  nigh  as 
I  can  guess,  I  was  somewhere  about   sixteen  or 
seventeen  years  old."     "  And  have  you  never  re 
pented  of  this  resolution  ?"     "  No,  indeed,  master ; 
I  have  never  repented  of  any  thing,  but  that  I  have 
served  my  blessed  Saviour  so  poorly." 

12.  "But  have  you    not  met  many  trials  and 
difficulties  by  the  way  ?"     "  Yes,  indeed,  master : 
but  out  of  them  all  the  Lord  has  delivered  me  ;  and 
having  obtained  help  of  God,  I  continue  to  this 


UNCLE     HARRY 

day  :  blessed  be  his  name  ;  he  never  will  leave  me 
or  forsake  me  ;  I  have  good  hope  of  that." 

13.  "  Well,  how  did  you  obtain  religious  in 
struction  where  you  lived,  as  you  say  there  was  no 
preacher  of  the  gospel  in  the  neighborhood  ?" 
"  Why,  by  the  mercy  of  my  God,  I  learned  to  read 
the  Bible ;  and  that  showed  me  the  way  to  Jesus. 
But  now  I  think  of  it :  when  the  Roman  Catholics 
heard  that  I  was  concerned  about  my  soul,  they 
sent  for  me,  and  tried  hard  to  get  me  to  join  them. 

4.  "  There  was  a  priest  at  Port  Tobacco,  whose 
name  was  Mr.  O'Neal ;  he  talked  to  me  a  great 
deal.  I  remember  he  said  to  me  one  day,  *  Harry, 
now  you  are  concerned  about  your  soul,  you  must 
come  and  join  the  Catholic  church.'  *  What  for,' 
said  I,  *  Mr.  O'Neal  V  '  Because,'  said  he,  '  it  is 
the  true  church.'  'Then,'  said  I,  'if  the  Catholic 
church  will  lead  me  to  Jesus,  I  will  join  it  with 
all  my  heart,  for  that  is  all  I  want ;'  and  Mr. 
O'Neal  said,  '  If  you  will  join  the  church.  I  will 
warrant  that  you  shall  go  to  heaven.'  '  How  can 
you  do  that,  Mr.  O'Neal  ?'  said  I. 

15.  "  Then  he  told  me  that  a  great  many  years 
ago,  our  Saviour  came  into  the  world,  and  he  chose 
twelve  apostles,  and  made  St.  Peter  their  head ; 
and  the  pope  succeeded  St.  Peter ;  and  so  all  that 
join  the  pope,  belong  to  the  true  church.  '  Then,' 
said  I,  '  why  how  do  you  know  that,  Mr.  O'Neal  V 
'  Because,'  said  he,  '  our  Saviour  told  Peter,  I  give 
you  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  and  what 


tJFCLE     HARRY, 

soever  you  bind  on  earth,  shall  be  bound  in  heaven, 
and  whatsoever  you  loose  on  earlh,  shall  be  loosed 
in  heaven.' 

16.  "  And  I  said,  *  The  Lord  knows  how  it  is, 
Mr.  O'Neal ;  I  am  a  poor  ignorant  creature,  but  it 
always  did  seem  to  me,  that  Peter  was  nothing  but 
a  man  like  the  other  apostles;'  but  Mr.  O'Neal 
said,  '  No,  he  was  the  head  and  chief  of  the  apos 
tles  ;  for  our  Saviour  said  again,  Thou  art  Peter, 
and  on  this  rock  I  will  build  my  church ;  and  the 
gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it.'     And  I 
asked  him,    *  Now,  do  you  think  Peter  was  that 
rock,  Mr.  O'Neal  T    He  answered,  *  To  be  sure 
he  was ;'  and  I  said  again,  *  The  Lord  knows  how 
it  is ;  but  it  never  did  seem  so  to  me. 

17.  **  '  Now  I  think  it  was  just  so : — when  Peter 
said,    Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living 
God,  our  Saviour  told  him,  Thouart  Peter,  "  (while 
the  old  man  repeated  the  words,  Thou  art  Peter, 
lie  pointed  his  finger  at  me,  and  looked  me  directly 
in  the  face,  but  as  soon  as  he  began  the  following 
part  of  the  quotation,  he  brought  his  hand  briskly 
down  to  his  knee,  saying  with  emphasis,  as  he 
looked  at  himself,)    "  *  and  upon  this  rock  will    I 
build  my  church ;  and  that  rock  was  Christ ;  for  it 
is  written  in  another  place,  Behold,  I  lay  in  Zioa 
a  chief  corner  stone,  elect,  precious ;  and  he  that 
believeth  on  him   shall  not  be  confounded;  and 
that  corner  stone  is  Christ.' 

18.  "  Then  Mr,  O'Neal  said  to  me,  *  Why,  Harry, 


228  UNCLE 

where  did  you  learn  all  that?'  I  said,  'From  my 
Bible.'  *  O !'  said  he,  '  you  have  no  business  with 
the  Bible  ;  it  will  confuse  and  frustrate  you,'  But 
I  said,  '  It  tells  me  of  my  Saviour,'  Then,  a  gen 
tleman  who  was  sitting  by,  said,  '  O  !  you  might 
as  well  let  him  alone,  Mr.  O'Neal ;  you  cannot 
make  any  thing  of  him ;'  and  from  that  time,  I 
never  had  any  desire  to  join  the  Roman  Catholics." 

19.  The   narrative,,   of  the   truth   of  which,    I 
could  not  entertain  a  moment's  doubt,  showed  a 
promptness  of  reply,  and  an  acquaintance  with  the 
Scriptures,  which  truly  surprised  me,  and  I  re 
marked,  "  I  suppose,  Uncle  Harry,  you  take  great 
pleasure  in  reading  the   Bible  1"     "  Ah,  master  ! 
when  I  could  read,  it  was  the  pleasure  of  my  life. 
But  I  am  old  now :  and  my  book  is  so  rubbed  that 
the  print  is  dim,  and  I  can  scarcely  make  out  to 
read  a  word." 

20.  On  this,  Mr.  W.  said,  "  Well,  Uncle  Harry, 
you   shall   have  a  new  Bible.     Do  you  call   on 

Mr. ,  when  you  go  down  town,  and  he  will 

give  you  a  new  one  from  the  Bible  Society."  Har 
ry  bowed,  and  expressed  gratitude  for  the  kind 
ness,  but  did  not  manifest  as  much  pleasure  as 
I  expected,  considering  how  highly  he  professed 
to  value  the  Bible.     While  I  was  wondering,  and 
rather  sorrowing  on  the  account,  I  observed  the 
old  man  to  be  feeling,  with  an  air  of  embarrass 
ment,  in  his  pocket. 

21.  At  length,  he   pulled   out  an  oM  tattered 


UNCLE    HARRY-  229 

case,  which  appeared  to  have  been  long  in  use, 
and  observed,  "  This  new  Bible  will  not  be  of 
much  use  to  me,  because  my  spectacles  are  so 
bad,  that  they  help  me  very  little  in  reading." 
With  that  he  opened  his  case,  and  showed  a  pair 
of  spectacles  of  the  cheapest  sort,  of  which  one 
glass  was  broken,  and  the  other  so  scratched,  that 
it  was  wonderful  that  he  could  see  through  it 
at  all. 

22.  Mn  W.  no  sooner  observed  this,  than  he 
said,  "  Well,  Uncle  Harry,  you  must  have  a  new 

pair ;  do  call  at  Mr.  's  store,  and  tell  him  to 

let  you  have  a  pair  suited  to  your  age,  and  I  will 
settle  with  him  about  it."     On  hearing  this,  Har 
ry's   eyes   gleamed  with  joy,  and  he   exclaimed, 
"Thank  God  !     God  bless  you,  master!     Now  I 
shall  have  comfort  again  in  reading  the  Bible." 
And  I  never  saw  a  happier,  or  a  more  grateful 
countenance. 

23.  Presently,  he  said  the  wagon  would  soon 
call  for  him,  to  take  him  home,  and  he  must  go 
down  town,   and  be  getting  ready :  on  which  he 
again  thanked  his  kind  friend,  and  invoked  a  bless 
ing   on  him  and  his  family.     He  then,  affection 
ately  and  respectfully,  took  me  by  the  hand,  and 
said,  "I  never  saw  you  before,  and  I  never  shall 
see  you  again  in  this  world ;  but  I  love  you  as  a 
minister  of  my  blessed  Lord   and  Master,  and  I 
hope  that  I  shall  meet  you  in  the  house  above. 
Remember  and  pray  for  poor  old  Harry." 

20 


£30  UNCLE    HARRY 

24.  I  squeezed  his  hand,  and  assured  him  of 
my  affectionate  remembrance,  and  requested  that 
he  would  pray  for  me,  and  for  the  preachers  of 
the  gospel  generally.      "  O  !",  said  he,  "  may  God 
Almighty  bless  all  the  dear  ministers  of  Christ, 
and  enable  them  to  call  many  poor  sinners  to  the 
dear  Saviour !     O  !  I  do  love  to  hear  of  souls'  com 
ing  to   Christ ;  and  it  is  my  daily  prayer.     Thy 
kingdom  come,  and  thy  will  be  done  on  earth,  as 
it  is  done  in  heaven  !"     With  that  the  old  man  took 
leave. 

25.  I  confess  that  I  have  often  since  wished  to 
see  him  and  hold  communion  with  him.     There 
was  about  him,  a  spirit  of  piety  and  benevolence, 
of  humble  zeal  and  fervent  hope,  of  meekness  and 
submission,  which  I  have  rarely   seen  equalled. 
At  the  same  time,  there  was  a  degree  of  intelli 
gence,  and  an  extent  of  religious  knowledge,  which, 
in  his  condition,  really  surprised  and  delighted  me. 

26.  I  saw  here  one  of  the  triumphs  of  divine 
grace.     I  was  made  to  appreciate  the  value  and 
the  excellence  of  that  religion  which  could  take  a 
poor  slave,  and  so  transform  him,  that  he  was  well 
nigh  fitted  to  be  a  companion  of  saints  in  light 
and  of  just  men  made  perfect.     And  since  1  saw 
him,  I  have  often  prayed,  that  after  the  days  of  my 
wandering  shall  be  over,  and  all  the  sufferings  of 
my  life  shall  be  endured,  I  may  obtain  a  share  in 
the  rest,  and  a  lot  in  the  inheritance,  which  I  have 
no  doubt  are  prepared  for  Uncle  Harry. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  WASHINGTON.  231 


CULLY'S  DESCRIPTION  OF  WASHINGTON 
AT  THE  TIME  OP  HIS  MARRIAGE. 

"  AND  so  you  remember  when  Colonel  Wash 
ington  came  a  courting  your  mistress?"  said  the 
biographer  to  old  Cully  in  his  hundredth  year. 
"  Ay,  master,  that  I  do,"  replied  this  ancient  fam 
ily  servant,  who  .had  lived  to  see  five  generations. 
"  Great  times,  sir  !  great  times  !  Shall  never  see 
the  like  again  !"  "  And  Washington  looked  some 
thing  like  a  man,  a  proper  man — hey,  Cully?" 
"  Never  seed  the  like,  sir — never  the  likes  of  him, 
though  I  have  seen  many  in  my  day — so  tall,  so 
straight !  and  then  he  sat  on  a  horse  and  rode  with 
such  an  air !  Ah,  sir,  he  was  like  no  one  else ! 
Many  of  the  grandest  gentlemen,  in  their  gold 
lace,  were  at  the  wedding,  but  none  looked  like 
the  man  himself." 

2.  Strong,  indeed,  must  have  been  the  impres 
sion  which  the  person  and  manner  of  Washington 
made  upon  the  rude,  untutored,  yet  susceptible 
mind  of  this  poor  negro,  since  the  lapse  of  three 
quarters  of  a  century  had  not  sufficed  to  efface 
them.  Does  not  this  statement  fully  acknowledge 
the  capacity  and  retentive  faculties  of  an  African  ? 


232  COLORED  POPULATION 


COLORED  POPULATION  IN   PHILADELPHIA. 

FROM   THE   NATIONAL  INQUIRER. 

A  PHILANTHROPIC  gentleman  of  the  South,  ap 
plied  to  us  a  short  time  since,  for  a  statement  of 
the  condition  of  the  colored  people  of  this  city. 
His  object  was  to  ascertain  whether  the  reports, 
industriously  circulated  by  the  enemies  of  emanci 
pation,  respecting  the  extreme  degradation  and 
pauperism  of  this  class  of  our  population,  were 
true  or  false.  From  personal  observation,  when 
he  had  been  on  a  short  visit  to  this  place,  he  was 
strongly  inclined  to  doubt  the  truth  of  the  reports 
in  question. 

2.  In  obedience  to  the  request  of  this  gentle 
man,  we  immediately  proceeded  to  make  inquiry, 
and  procured  such  information  for  him  as  the  na 
ture  of  the  circumstances,  and  the  short  time  al 
lowed,  would  permit.     Although  the  inquiry  was 
very  limited,   extending  to  but  two  districts  for 
most  of  the  particulars,  we  trust  it  will  throw  some 
light  upon  an  important  subject,  and  undeceive  the 
public,  measurably  at  least,  in  relation  to  it.     The 
principal  topics  submitted  for  investigation  were 
embraced  in   sundry  queries,  propounded  by  the 
gentleman  aforesaid. 

3.  1st  Query. — "What  is   the  amount  of  the 
free  colored  population  of  Philadelphia  ?"     The 


IN    PHILADELPHIA.  233 

district  of  Southwark  contains  921  men,  1,045 
women,  635  boys,  674  girls;  total,  3,275.  The 
district  of  Northern  Liberties  contains  276  men, 
318  women,  265  boys,  371  girls;  total,  1,230: 
4,505  in  all.  Although  this  does  not  include  the 
whole  city,  the  greater  portion  of  the  colored  pop 
ulation  is  located  within  these  divisions. 

4.  2d   Query. — "  What   proportion  is  able  to 
read  ?"     In   Southwark,  858,  Northern  Liberties, 
172  ;  these  are  adults  :  a  nearly  equal  number  of 
children,  say  970,  can  read  :  total,  2,000.    In  these 
districts  there  are  many  more  poor  and  ignorant 
persons  than  in  the  other  parts  of  the  city,  proper- 
tionably. 

5.  3d  Query. — "  What  proportion  is  acquainted 
with  the  other  elements  of  common  education?" 
In  the   Northern   Liberties   only,  information  has 
been  obtained.     It  appears  that  92  of  their  num 
ber,  in  that  district,  can  write.     We  have  no  ac 
count  of  their  proficiency  in  other  branches  of  ed 
ucation,  but  we  have  been  informed  by  teachers, 
that  the  blacks  are  as  apt  in  learning  arithmetic, 
&c.,  as  the  whites. 

6.  4th  Query. — "  How  many  schools,  and  what 
number  under  instruction  ?"     We  have  no  esti 
mate  of  the  number  of  common  schools.     There 
are  six  Sunday  schools  in  the  city.     The  number 
under  instruction  cannot  at  present  be  ascertained. 
But  they  suffer  much  inconvenience  in  this  re 
spect  from  the  prejudice  against  their  color. 

20* 


234  COLORED    POPULATION 

7.  5th  Query. — "  How  many  churches  of  each 
denomination  ?"     In  the  whole  city,  there  are  six 
Methodist  churches,  two  Presbyterian,  three  Bap 
tist,  one  Episcopal,  one  Lutheran,  and  two  public 
halls. 

8.  6th  Query. — "  How  many  actually,  and  how 
many  comparatively  with  the  white  population,  are 
paupers,  and  supported  on  public  charity  ?"     From 
a  paper,  very  carefully  drawn  up,  and  presented  to 
the  legislature  in  1832,  we  collect  the  following 
facts.     In  the  year  1830,  it  appears  that  out  of 
549  out-door  poor,  relieved  during  the  year,  only 
22  were  persons  of  color.     The  colored  paupers 
admitted  into  the  alms-house  for  the  same  period, 
did  not  exceed  four  per  cent,  of  the  whole  number. 
The  amount  of  taxes  paid  by  them  could  not  be 
fairly  ascertained ;  but  from  imperfect  returns,  it 
appears  that  they  pay  not  less  than  2,500  dollars 
annually ;  while  the  sum  expended  for  the  relief 
of  their  poor,  out  of  the  public  funds,  has  rarely, 
if   ever,   exceeded    2,000  dollars    a   year.      The 
amount  of  rents  paid  by  them  is  found  to  exceed 
100,000  dollars  annually. 

9.  7th  Query. — "How  many  actually,  and  how 
many  comparatively,  are  in  criminal  institutions  ?" 
We  have  not  been  able  to  obtain  official  informa 
tion  on  this  point;  but  we  learn,  generally,  that 
for  crimes  of  magnitude,  their  proportion  is  very 
small ;  while  in  cases  of  petit  larceny,  they  fall  a 


IN    PHILADELPHIA.  235 

little  below  the  whites  in  the  scale  of  moral  virtue 
One  fact,  however,  in  their  favor,  is  worthy  of  con 
sideration,  viz.,  many  of  the  colored  "  criminals" 
are  among  the  youth,  who  are  shut  out  of  the 
House  of  Refuge,  to  which  the  whites  have  ac 
cess.  Very  few  of  the  former  are  admitted,  on 
account  of  the  prejudice  against  their  color. 

10.  8th  Query. — "  How  many  religious,  chari 
table,  and  literary  institutions  are  supported  by  the 
colored   people?"     The    religious   establishments 
supported  by  them  are  enumerated  in  the  answer 
to  the  fifth  query.     They  have  more  than  sixty 
beneficent  societies,  some  of  which  are  incorpo 
rated,  for  mutual  aid  in  time  of  sickness  and  dis 
tress.     The  members  of  these  societies  are  bound 
by  rules  and  regulations,  which  tend  to  promote 
industry   and  morality  among  them.     Each  one 
pays  into  the  treasury,  weekly  or  monthly,  a  stip 
ulated  sum. 

11.  They   expend   annually,   for   the   relief  of 
their  sick  and  distressed,  more  than  9,000  dollars 
out  of  funds  raised  by  themselves  for  mutual  aid. 
Some  of  these  associations  number  from  fifty  to 
one  hundred  members  each,  not  one  of  whom  has 
ever  been  convicted  of  crime,  in  any  of  the  courts. 
Besides    the    institutions  above    mentioned,   they 
have  two  tract  societies,  two  Bible  societies,  two 
temperance  societies,  two  female  literary  institu 
tions,  one  moral  reform  society,  and  one  library 


236          FREE  PEOPLE  OF  COLOR. 

company.  Their  public  property,  (mostly  appro 
priated  to  religious  uses,)  is  estimated  at  the  value 
of  more  than  200,000  dollars. 

12.  In  addition  to  the  foregoing,  it  may  be  pro 
per  to  remark,  that  many  of  the  colored  people 
have,  by  their  labor  and  economy,  acquired  prop 
erty,  and  become  freeholders.  Their  real  estate 
in  the  city,  (belonging  to  individuals,)  is  supposed 
to  be  worth  at  least  a  million  of  dollars.  It  is 
known  that  more  than  600,  and  it  is  believed  that 
upward  of  1,000  colored  persons  in  the  city  and 
suburbs,  follow  mechanical  employments,  many  of 
whom  are  acknowledged  as  superior  workmen. 


FREE  PEOPLE  OF  COLOR. 

FROM   THE   PHILANTHROPIST. 

"THE  free  people  of  color,"  were  pronounced 
by  Mr.  Oay,  some  years  ago,  to  be,  "  of  all  de 
scriptions  of  our  population,  and  of  either  portion 
of  the  African  race,  as  a  class,  by  far  the  most 
corrupt,  depraved,  and  abandoned."  Let  us  now 
attend  to  some  of  the  facts  which  are  beginning  to 
be  ascertained,  and  to  be  published  for  the  correc 
tion  of  this  error. 

2.  There  were,  by  the  last  census,  nearly  5,000 
free  people  of  color  in  Kentucky.  The  senior 


FREE  PEOPLE  CI  CCLCB.  237 

editor  of  this  paper  has  made  extensive  inquiry  as 
to  the  state  of  pauperism  among  them,  as  indi 
cated  by  the  records  of  the  county  courts.  He 
heard  of  but  one,  an  old  woman  in  Jassamine 
county,  who  was  on  the  pauper  list,  and  was  sup 
ported  from  the  public  funds. 

3.  In  the  Southampton  insurrection,  there  was 
not  a  single  free  colored  person  implicated  in  the 
remotest  degree,  yet  were  hundreds  of  them,  re 
siding  in  that  county,  compelled,  by  the  cruelties 
and  abuse  which  they  suffered  from  the  neighbor 
ing  whites,  to  emigrate  immediately  afterward  to 
Western  Africa. 

4.  Mr.   Gayarre,   a   member  of  the   Louisiana 
legislature  in  1834,  uses  this  language  concerning 
the  colored  population  in  that  state,  in  a  report 
which  he  submitted  to  that  body  : — "  It  has  been 
said,  that,  in  the   colored  population  of  Louisiana, 
a    few   respectable    individuals    could   be   found. 
Justice,  perhaps,  would  have  required  the  confes 
sion,  that  the  many  were  respectable,  and  the  few 
depraved  ;  the  many  are  sober  and  industrious  me 
chanics,  quiet  and  useful  citizens,  who  are  suscep 
tible  of  noble  sentiments  and  virtues.     This  hom 
age  is  due  to  them,  and  your  committee  pays  it 
with  pleasure,"  &c. 

5.  In  Philadelphia,  so  far  from  burdening  the 
whites  with  the  support  of  their  paupers,   their 
city  taxes,  over  and  above  the  support  of  their 
own  poor,  furnish  funds  for  the  support  of  white 


238          FREE  PEOPLE  OF  COLOR. 

paupers.     One  of  the  wealthiest  mechanics  in  that 
city,  if  not  in  the  nation,  is  a  colored  man. 

6.  The  following  resolutions  were  passed  lately 
at  a  meeting  of  those  people  in  that  city  : — 

"  Resolved,  That  it  is  the  sincere  wish  of  this 
Society,  that,  as  our  young  people  of  both  sexes 
have,  for  the  most  part,  both  the  opportunity  and 
the  power,  they  should  earnestly  and  strenuously 
exert  themselves  in  their  leisure  hours,  especially 
during  long  winter  evenings,  in  supplying  the  de 
ficiencies  of  an  early  and  irregular  education,  and 
thereby  qualify  themselves  for  extended  usefulness 
in  the  circles  in  which  they  move." 

7.  Wearing  mourning  apparel,  $c. — "  Where 
as,  the  time-honored  custom  of  wearing  mourning 
apparel  for  the  dead,  being  frequently   attended 
with  much  inconvenience,  and  always  with  unne 
cessary  expense  ;  and  whereas,  the  money  which 
the  poor  of  our  people  are  obliged  to  spend  in  this 
way,  in  conformity  with  the  tyranny  of  fashion, 
might  be  applied  to  purposes  of  substantial  utility; 
therefore,  be  it  Resolved,  That  from  motives  of 
economy   alone,   if  from  no   other,   this  practice 
should  be  abolished  among  our  people. 

8.  "  Resolved,  That  this  society  earnestly  recom 
mend  to  teachers  of  youth,  to  instil  into  the  minds 
of  their  juvenile  charge,  the  love  of  truth,  princi 
ples  of  rigid  honesty,  habits  of  sobriety  and  indus 
try,  a  sacred  regard  for  the  Sabbath  day  and  the 
injunctions  of  Christianity;  and  thus  prospective- 


FREE  PEOPLE  OF  COLOR.          239 

ly  to  prepare  them  to  fill  up,  honorably  and  reli 
giously,  the  stations  they  may  be  called  upon  to 
occupy. 

9.  "  While   such  a  course  of  instruction  cannot 
but  result  in  positive  benefits  to  the  rising  genera 
tion,  it  will  procure  for  us  the  favorable  considera 
tion  of  the  intelligent  and  the  magnanimous,  and, 
what  is  incomparably  more  valuable,  the  favor  and 
protection  of  Him  who  is  mighty  to  save  and  strong 
to  deliver." 

10.  On   peace  and    temperance. — "Resolved, 
That  the  principles  of  peace  and  non-resistance 
ought  to  be  practised  under  all  circumstances,  by 
every  lover  of  religion  and  good  order ;     That  we 
recommend  to  our  temperance  societies,  to  adopt 
the  principle  of  total  abstinence  from  all  intoxica 
ting  liquors,  as  the  only  safe  remedy  against  drunk- 


240  CINCINNATI. 


CINCINNATI. 

FROM   THE    EMANCIPATOR. 

THE  colored  people  in  Cincinnati  have  three 
churches,  two  Methodist  and  one  Baptist,  number 
ing  about  450  members.  They  have  four  Sab 
bath  schools,  each  with  a  small  library,  and  three 
Bible  classes.  A  female  benevolent  society  has 
been  organized,  with  forty  members.  Their  meet 
ings  are  held  regularly,  and  the  time  spent  in  work 
ing  for  the  poor.  A  society  for  the  relief  of  per 
sons  in  distress,  called  the  "  Cincinnati  Union  So 
ciety,"  also  numbers  about  one  hundred  male  mem 
bers.  Its  contributions  are  about  250  dollars  an 
nually. 

2.  Another  similar  institution  likewise  exists  in 
the  city  with  about  thirty  members.  They  have 
also  a  temperance  society,  on  the  principle  of  total 
abstinence,  with  about  280  members.  According 
to  a  statement  of  the  whole  colored  population  of 
Cincinnati,  1,129  have  been  in  slavery;  476  have 
purchased  themselves,  at  the  total  expense  of 
215,522  dollars  and  4  cents,  averaging  for  each 
452  dollars  and  77  cents. 

Abridged  from  "The  Friend." 


THE    HAPPY    NEGRO.  241 


THE  HAPPY  NEGRO. 

SOME  years  ago  an  English  gentlemen  had  oc 
casion  to  visit  North  America,  where  the  follow 
ing  circumstance  occurred,  which  is  thus  related, 
in  his  own  words  :  "  Every  day's  observation  con 
vinces  me  that  the  children  of  God  are  made  so 
by  his  own  especial  grace ;  and  that  all  means  are 
equally  effectual  with  him,  whenever  he  is  pleased 
to  employ  them  for  conversion* 

2.  "  In  one  of  my  excursions,  while  I  was  in 
the  state  of  New  York,  I  was  walking  by  myself 
over  a  considerable  plantation,   amused  with  its 
husbandry,  and  comparing  it  with  that  of  my  own 
country,  till  I  came  within  a  little  distance  of  a 
middle-aged  negro,   who  was  tilling  the  ground. 
I  felt  a  strong  inclination,   unusual  with  me,  to 
converse  with  him.     After  asking  him  some  little 
questions  about  his  work,  which  he  answered  in  a 
sensible  manner,  I  asked  him  to  tell  me  whether 
his  state  of  slavery  was  not  disagreeable  to  him 
and  whether  he  would  not  gladly  be  at  liberty. 

3.  " '  Massa,*  said  he,  looking  seriously  upon 
me,  *  I  have  a  wife  and  children ;  my  massa  take 
care  of  them,  and  I  have  no  care   to  provide  any 
thing.     I  have  a  good  massa,  who  teaches  me  to 
read ;  and  I  read  good  book,  that  makes  me  hap 
py.'     'I  am  glad,'  replied  I,  *  to  hear  you  say  so  ; 

21 


242  THE    HAPPY    NEGRO. 

and  pray  what  is  the  good  book  you  read  ?'  *  The 
Bible,  massa — God's  own  book.'  *  Do  you  under 
stand,  friend,  as  well  as  read  this  book  ? — for  many 
can  read  the  words  well,  who  cannot  get  hold  of 
the  true  and  good  sense.' 

4.  "  '  O  massa,'  said  he,  '  I  read  the  book  much 
before  I  understand ;  but,  at  last,  I  felt  pain  in  my 
heart ;  I  found  things  in  the  book  that  cut  me  to 
pieces.'     '  Ah  !'  said  I, '  and  what  things  were  they  ?' 
*  Why,  massa,  I  found  that  I  had  bad  heart,  mas 
sa — a  very  bad  heart  indeed ;  I  felt  pain  that  God 
would  destroy  me,  because   I  was  wicked,  and 
done  nothing  as  I  should  do.     God  was  holy,  and 
J  was  very  vile  and  naughty  ;  I  could  have  no 
thing  from  him  but  fire  and  brimstone  in  hell.* 

5.  "  In  short,  he  entered  into  a  full  account  of 
his  convictions  of  sin,  which  were  indeed  as  deep 
and  piercing  as   almost  any  I  had  ever  heard  of; 
and  what  scriptures  came  to  his  mind,  which  he 
had  read,  that  both  probed  to  the  bottom  of  his  sin 
ful  heart,  and  were  made  the  means   of  light  and 
comfort  to  his  soul.     I  then  inquired  of  him  what 
ministry  or  means  he  made  use  of,  and  found  that 
his  master  was  a  plain  sort  of  man,  who  had  taught 
his  slaves  to  read,  but  who  had  not  conversed  with 
this  negro  upon  the  state  of  his  soul. 

6.  "  I  asked  him,  likewise,  how  he  got  comfort 
under  all  this  trial.     '  O  massa,'  said  he,   '  it  was 
Christ  gave  me  comfort  by  his  dear  word.    He 


THE    HAPPY    NEGRO.  243 

bade  me  come  unto  him,  and  he  would  give  me 
rest,  for  I  was  very  weary  and  heavy  laden.7  And 
here  he  repeated  a  number  of  the  most  precious 
texts  in  the  Bible,  showing,  by  his  artless  com 
ment  upon  them,  as  he  went  along,  what  great 
things  God  had  done  in  the  course  of  some  years 
for  his  soul. 

7.  "  Being  rather  more  acquainted  with  doctri 
nal  truths,  and  the  Bible,  than  he  had  been,  or  in 
his  situation  could  easily  be,  I  had  a  mind  to  try 
how   far   a   simple   experience,  graciously   given 
without  the  usual  means,  could  preserve  a  man 
from   error ;  and   I   therefore   asked  him  several 
questions  about  the  merit  of  works,  the  justifica 
tion  of  a  sinner,  the  power  of  grace,  and  the  like. 
I  own  I  was  as  much  astonished  at,  as  I  admired 
the    sweet   spirit   and  simplicity   of  his  answers, 
with  the  heavenly  wisdom  that  God  had  put  into 
the  mind  of  this  negro. 

8.  "His   discourse,   flowing  merely   from   the 
richness  of  grace,  with  a  tenderness  and  expres 
sion  far  '  beyond  the  reach  of  art,'  perfectly  charmed 
me.     On  the  other  hand,  my  entering  into  all  his 
feelings,  together  with  an  account  to  him,  which  he 
had  never  heard  before,  that  thus   and  thus  the 
Lord,  in  his  mercy,  dealt  with  all  his  children,  and 
had  dealt  with  me,  drew  streams  of  joyful  tears 
down  his  black  face,  and  we  looked  upon  each 
other,  and  talked  with  that  inexpressible  glow  of 


244  THE    HAPPY    NEGRO, 

Christian  affection,  that  made  me  more  than  ever 
believe,  what  I  have  often  too  thoughtlessly  pro 
fessed  to  believe,  the  communion  of  saints. 

9.  "  I  shall  never  forget  how  the  poor  creature 
seemed  to  hang  upon  my  lips,  and  to  eat  rny  very 
words,  when  I  enlarged  upon  the  love  of  Christ  to 
poor  sinners,  the  free  bounty  and  tender  mercy  of 
God,  the  frequent  and  delightful  sense  he  gives  of 
his  presence,  the  faith  he  bestows  in  his  promises, 
the  victories  this  faith  is  enabled  to  get  over  trials 
and  temptations,  the  joy  and  peace  in  believing, 
the  hope  in  life  and  death,  and  the  glorious  expec 
tation  of  immortality.  To  have  seen  his  eager, 
delighted,  animated  air  and  manner,  would  have 
cheered  and  armed  any  Christian's  heart,  and  have 
been  a  masterpiece  for  any  painter.  -.-  1 

10.  "He  had  never  heard  such  discourse,  nor 
found  the  opportunity  of  hearing  it  before.  He 
seemed  like  a  man  who  had  been  thrown  into  a 
new  world,  and  at  length  had  found  company. 
Though  the  conversation  lasted,  at  least,  two  or 
three  hours,  I  scarcely  ever  enjoyed  the  happy 
swiftness  of  time  so  sweetly  in  all  my  life.  We 
knew  not  how  to  part.  He  would  accompany  me 
as  far  as  he  might ;  and  I  felt,  on  my  side,  such  a 
delight  in  the  artless,  solid,  unaffected  experience 
of  this  pious  soul,  that  I  would  have  been  glad  to 
have  seen  him  oftener  then,  or  to  see  his  like  at 
any  time  now ;  but  my  situation  rendered  it  im 
possible. 


THE    HAPPY    NEGRO.  245 

11.  "I  therefore  took  an  affectionate  leave,  with 
feelings  equal  to  those  of  the  warmest  and  most 
ancient  friendship ;    telling  him,  that  neither  the 
color  of  his  body,  nor  the  condition  of  his  present 
life,  could  prevent  him  from  being  my  dear  brother 
in  our  dear  Saviour ;  and  that  though   we  must 
part  now,  never  to   see  each  other  again  in  this 
world,  I  had  no  doubt  of  our  having  another  joy 
ful  meeting  in  our  Father's  home,  where  we  should 
live  together,  and  love  each  other,  throughout  a 
long   and   happy   eternity.      'Amen,   amen,  dear 
massa;  God  bless  you  and  poor  me  too,  for  ever 
and  ever.' 

12.  "If  I  had  been  an  angel  from  heaven,  he 
could  not  have  received  me  with  more  evident  de 
light  than  he  did ;  nor  could  I  have  considered  him 
with  a  more  sympathetic  regard,  if  he  had  been  a 
Jong-known  Christian  of  the  good  old  sort,  grown 
up  into  my  affections  in  the  course  of  many  years.1 


246  THE    HOSPITABLE 


THE  HOSPITABLE  NEGRO  WOMAN. 

THE  enterprising  traveller,  Mungo  Park,  was 
employed  by  the  African  Association,  to  explore 
the  interior  regions  of  Africa.  In  this  hazardous 
undertaking,  he  encountered  many  dangers  and 
difficulties.  His  wants  were  often  supplied,  and 
his  distresses  alleviated,  by  the  kindness  and  com 
passion  of  the  negroes.  He  gives  the  following 
lively  and  interesting  account  of  the  hospitable 
treatment  he  received  from  a  poor  negro  woman. 

2.  "  Being  arrived  at  Sego,  the  capital  of  the 
kingdom   of  Bambarra,  situated  on  the  banks  of 
the  Niger,  I  wished  to  pass  over  to  that  part  of  the 
town  in  which  the  king  resides  ;  but  from  the  num 
ber  of  persons  eager  to  obtain  a  passage,  I  was 
under  the  necessity  of  waiting  two  hours.     During 
this  time,  the  people  who  had  crossed  the  river, 
carried  information  to  Mansong,  the  king,  that  a 
white  man  was  waiting  for  a  passage,  and  was 
coming  over  to  see  him. 

3.  "  He  immediately  sent  over  one  of  his  chief 
men,  who  informed  me,  that  the  king  could  not 
possibly  see  me,  until  he  knew  what  had  brought 
me  into  his  country,  and  that  I  must  not  presume 
to  cross  the  river,  without  the  king's  permission. 
He  therefore  advised  me  to  lodge,  for  that  night,  in 
a  distant  village,  to  which  he  pointed,  and  said 


NEGRO    WOMAN.  247 

that,  in  the  morning,  he  would  give  me  further  in 
struction  how  to  conduct  myself.  This  was  very 
discouraging.  However,  as  there  was  no  remedy, 
I  set  off  for  the  village ;  where  I  found,  to  my 
great  mortification,  that  no  person  would  admit  me 
into  his  house. 

4.  "  From  prejudices  infused  into  their  minds,  I 
was  regarded  with  astonishment  and  fear;  and  I 
was  obliged  to  sit  the  whole  day  without  victuals, 
in  the  shade  of  a  tree.     The  night  threatened  to 
be  very  uncomfortable  ;  the  wind  rose,  and  there 
was  great  appearance  of  a  heavy  rain.     The  wild 
beasts  too  were  so  numerous  in  the  neighborhood, 
that  I  should  have  been  under  the  necessity  of 
climbing   up   the   tree,    and   resting    among    the 
branches. 

5.  "  About  sunset,  however,  as  I  was  preparing 
to  pass  the  night  in  this   manner,  and  had  turned 
my  horse  loose,  that  he  might  graze  at  liberty  ;  a 
negro  woman,  returning  from  the   labors  of  the 
field,  stopped  to  observe  me ;  and  perceiving  that 
I  was  weary  and  dejected,  she  inquired  into  my 
situation.     I  briefly  explained  it  to  her ;  after  which, 
with  looks  of  great  compassion,  she  took  up  my 
saddle   and   bridle,  and   told   me    to   follow   her. 
Having  conducted  me  into  her  hut,  she  lighted  a 
iamp,  spread  a  mat  on  the  floor,  and  told  me  I 
might  remain  there  for  the  night. 

6.  "  Finding  I  was  very  hungry,  she  went  out 
to  procure  me  something  to  eat ;  and  returned,  in  a 


24.$  THE    HOSPITABLE 

short  lime,  with  a  very  fine  fish,  which,  having 
caused  it  to  be  half  broiled  upon  some  embers, 
she  gave  me  for  supper.  The  rites  of  hospitality 
being  thus  performed  toward  a  stranger  in  distressr 
my  worthy  benefactress  (pointing  to  the  mat,  and 
telling  me  I  might  sleep  there  without  apprehen 
sion')  called  to  the  female  part  of  her  family,  who 
had  stood  gazing  on  me  all  the  while  in  fixed  as 
tonishment,  to  resume  their  task  of  spinning  cot 
ton  ;  in  which  they  continued  to  employ  themselves 
a  great  part  of  the  night. 

7.  "  They  lightened  their  labor  by  songsr  one  ot 
which  was  composed  extempore ;  for  I  was  myself 
the  subject  of  it.  It  was  sung  by  one  of  the  young 
women,  the  rest  joining  in  a  sort  of  chorus.  The 
air  was  sweet  and  plaintive,  and  the  wards,  lit 
erally  translated,  were  these  : — *  The  winds  roared, 
and  the  rain  fell.  The  poor  white  man,  faint 
and  weary,  came  and  sat  under  our  tree.  He  has 
no  mother  to  bring  him  milk,  no  wife  to  grind  his 
corn.'  Chorus.  'Let  us  pity  the  white  man;  no 
mother  has  he  to  bring  him  milk;  no  wife  to 
grind  his  corn.'* 

*  These  simple  and  affecting  sentiments,  have  been  very  beauti 
fully  versified. 

I.  The  loud  wind  roar'd,  the  rain  fell  fast  , 
The  white  man  yielded  to  the  blast. 
He  sat  him  down  beneath  the  tree^ 
For  weary,  sad,  and  faint  was  he  : 
And  ah !  no  wife's  or  mother's  carev 
For  him  the  milk  or  corn  prepare* 


NEGRO   WOMAN".  249 

8.  "  Trifling  as  these  events  may  appear  to  the 
reader,  they  were  to  me  affecting  in  the  highest 
degree.  I  was  oppressed  by  such  unexpected 
kindness ;  and  sleep  fled  from  my  eyes.  In  the 
morning,  I  presented  to  my  compassionate  landlady 
two  of  the  four  brass  buttons  which  remained  on 
my  waistcoat ;  the  only  recompense  it  was  in  my 
power  to  make  her." 


The  white  man  shall  our  pity  share, — 
Alas  !  no  wife's  or  mother's  care, 
For  him  the  milk  or  corn  prepare. 

2.  The  storm  is  o'er,  the  tempest  past, 
And  Mercy's  voice  has  hush'd  the  blast } 
The  wind  is  heard  in  whispers  low, 
The  white  man  far  away  must  go ; 
But  ever  in  his  heart  will  bear, 
Remembrance  of  the  negro's  care. 

CHOBUS. 

Go,  white  man,  go ;  but  with  thee  bear 
The  negro's  wish,  the  negro's  prayer 
Remembrance  of  the  negro's  care. 


bnnoi.r 


250  EMANCIPATION   IN 


EMANCIPATION  IN  THE  WEST  INDIES. 

THE  following  extracts  from  a  letter  written  in 
the  West  Indies,  may  show  the  salutary  effects  of 
emancipation  in  the  British  islands.  Its  date  is 
Sept.  20th,  1836.  "I  am  highly  gratified  to  wit 
ness  the  course  you  are  pursuing  in  regard  to  that 
overwhelming  curse  of  our  country,  slavery.  In 
the  providence  of  God,  I  have  been  placed  in  cir 
cumstances  to  know  what  slavery  is,  and  has  been, 
in  the  West  Indies,  and  daily  now  to  see  and  feel 
what  emancipation  is. 

2.  "I  went  to  Trinidad  in  November,  1831  :  I 
had  learned  at  home,  of  the  persevering  opposition 
which  emancipation  had  met  in  these  islands,  and 
I  naturally  supposed  it  would  be  necessary  to  be 
guarded  in  my  remarks  about  it.     I  therefore  kept 
very  still,  thinking  that  perhaps  even  a  few  words 
might  occasion  a  tumult,  as  I  had  been  taught  to 
believe  that  the  liberated  negroes   only  wanted  an 
occasion  to  rise  and  murder  all  the  whites. 

3.  "  I  very  soon  found  that  no  alarm  was  felt — 
people  speaking  as  freely  about  emancipation  as  of 
any  thing  else.     All  the  negroes  appeared  cheerful 
and  harmless,  and  not  seldom  did  I  hear  the  re 
mark,  even  from  planters,  that  emancipation  was  a 
great  blessing !     The  scales  fell  from  my  eyes  ! 
I  found  that  all  the  predictions  I  had  heard  of  mas- 


THE    WEST    INDIES*  251 

sacres,  insurrections,  &c.,  &c.,  were  no  better  than 
nursery  tales.  Indeed,  it  was  plain  to  be  seen,  that 
emancipation  had  been  the  very  thing  to  take  away, 
at  once  and  for  ever,  all  danger  of  violence  on 
the  part  of  the  colored  people. 

4.  "  I  afterward  visited  Grenada  and  St.  Vin 
cent.     The  same  may  be  said  of  them  as  of  Trin 
idad.     I  have  resided  on  this  island  (Barbadoes) 
with  the  exception  of  a  visit  at  home  last  winter> 
constantly  since  January,  1835,     The  town  con 
tains — say    40,000    inhabitants,   and    the    island 
130,000,  of  whom  not  more  than  20,000  are  whites. 
On  the  first  of  August,  1834,  the  number  of  slaves 
liberated  was  something  more  than  80,000. 

5.  "  What  a  place  for  the  exhibition  of  that  fe 
rocity  which  we  are  told  exists  in  the  breast    of 
the  African  !     Now  I  venture  to  declare,  that  since 
the  first  of  August,  1834,  there  has  not  been  the 
slightest  popular  disturbance,  or  even  the  rumor  of 
one,  in  any  part  of  the  island.     And  this  is  not  be 
cause  the  blacks  are  overawed.     They  are  them 
selves  a  part  of  the  island  militia,  and  I  declare  it 
as  my  firm  conviction,  that,  as  a  people,  they  are 
as  orderly  and  as  little  inclined  to  violence,  as  any 
people  on  earth. 

6.  "  The  general  sentiment  in  this  island,  I  be 
lieve  to  be  now  as  much  in  favor  of  emancipation, 
as  three  years  ago  it  was  opposed  to  it.     It  has 
done  my  heart  good,  to  hear  people  of  the  highest 
standing  here,  and  those  who  owned  great  num- 


252  EMANCIPATION    IN 

bers  of  slaves,  freely  admit  that  their  opposition  la 
emancipation  was  all  wrong ;  that  it  was  one  of 
the  greatest  blessings  that  ever  carne  upon  the 
country  j.  and  that  nothing  would  induce  them  to 
return  to  slavery. 

7.  "  When  I  read  of  the  fears  of  the  people  in 
America,  in  regard  to  emancipation,  of  the  preju 
dice  against  color,  and  the  way  in  which  they  de 
clare  against  abolition,  as  something  that  is  going 
to  open  the  floodgates  of  war,  disunion,  &c.,  &c., 
my  wonder  is  only  second  to  that  which  I  feel, 
when  I  reflect  upon  what  was  once  my  own  feel 
ings  upon  these   subjects.     If  all  the  opposers  of 
abolition  in  the   United  States,  including   slave 
holders  themselves,  could  spend  six  months  in  any 
part  of  the  British  West  Indies,  abolition  societies 
might  dissolve  themselves  at  once, — their  occupa 
tion  would  be  gone." 

8.  "  The  alarm  which  was  felt  in  the  West  In 
dies,  as  to  a  general  depreciation  of  property  and 
stagnation  of  business,  has  proved  quite  ground 
less.     The  islands  have  rarely,  if  ever,  been  so 
prosperous  as   at  present;  and  in  this  island,   I 
think  I  may  safely  say,  there  have  been  more  im 
provements  in  buildings,  agriculture,  &c.,  in  the 
last  two  years  than  in  any  two  preceding  years. 
Decidedly  have  the  greatest  comfort  and  happi 
ness  increased,  education  and  religious  knowledge 
been  promoted,  and  public  morals  been  greatly  im 
proved. 


THE    WEST   INDIES.  £53 

9.  "  I  fear  I  may  weary  you ;  but,  sir,  when  I 
look   at   this    country,   and   witness    the   blessed 
changes  which  have  been  brought  about  by  eman 
cipation  ;  and  when  I  contemplate  my  own  coun 
try,  straining  every  nerve  to  maintain  a  system  so 
fraught  with  evil  as  slavery,  my  heart  is  full.     Sla 
very  in  the  West  Indies,  as  every  where  else,  has 
always  stood  in  the  way  of  the  progress  of  Chris 
tianity.      Hence    the   continually   repeated   com 
plaints  against  the  missionaries  in  all  the  islands. 
Slavery  and  Christianity  were  pitted  against  each 
other,   the   one    imploring  secrecy  and  darknesst 
the  other  demanding  light. 

10.  "Mark  now  the  difference.     In  the  island, 
numerous  parish  churches,  which  have  been   in 
ruins  since  the  hurricane  of  1831,  are  rising  from 
their  ruins ;    the    Methodist  missionaries   are  ex 
tending  their  stations,  and  multiplying  their  preach 
ers  and  assistants  in  every  direction  ;  the  Mora 
vians  have  just  finished  a  fine  new  chapel,  in  town  ; 
and  in  short,  the  solicitude  among  owners  of  es 
tates  to  have  their  laborers  brought  under  the  in 
fluence  of  religion,  is  as  evident  as  is  the  fact,  that 
their  safety  and  interest  depend  upon  the  moral 
character   and   religious    improvement    of    those 
laborers. 

11.  "I  might  say  much  of  the  prodigious  in 
crease  of  schools.     In  this  respect,  the  change  is 
just  what  we  should  expect  it  to  be — great  and 

truly  gratifying  to  every  benevolent  mind.     Infant 
22 


254  EMANCIPATION    IN 

schools  are  about  to  be  introduced  in  all  the  isl 
ands  ;  and  I  am  now  boarding  at  a  house  with  a 
gentleman  who  arrived  from  England,  two  weeks 
since,  fully  prepared  with  funds,  and  every  other 
requisite,  to  build  up  free  infant  schools  in  all  the 
islands. 

12.  "I  might  go  on  to  speak  of  marriages  among 
the  black  and  colored ;  of  the  observance  of  the 
Sabbath ;  of  improvement  in  their  dress ;  greater 
domestic  comforts,  &c. ;  in  regard  to  all  which, 
the  greatness  of  the  change  for  the  better,  is,  in 
this  country,  quite  evident  and  undisputed,  how 
ever  much  the  desolations  which  freedom  has  oc 
casioned  in  the  West  Indies  may  be  mourned  over 
by  our  American  patriots  !" 

13.  "  You  are  doubtless  aware  that  the  colony 
of  Demarara  is  comparatively  new,  and  that  there 
is  a  great  call  for  laborers  to  subdue  and  bring  un 
der  cultivation,  that  great  and  fertile  territory.     (I 
may  here  remark  that  Demarara  was  on  all  hands 
said  to  be  entirely  ruined  by  emancipation ;  but 
see  how  false  the  notion.)     The  same  thing  is  now 
there  taking  place,  that  we  in  America  have  been 
always  accustomed  to  see,  viz.,  emigration  from 
the  old  colonies  to  the  new. 

14.  "  In  this  way,  Demarara  is  to  be  supplied 
with  an  abundance  of  free  laborers,  and   thereby 
immensely  benefited ;  a  supply  of  which,  but  for 
emancipation,  she  could  never  have  obtained  in  any 
way  short  of  a  revival  of  the  African  slave  trade. 


THE   WEST   INDIES.  255 

But  that  which  I  wish  to  have  particularly  re 
marked  is  this :  The  legislature  of  St.  Kitts,  and 
more  recently  that  of  this  island,  has  become 
alarmed  at  the  number  of  emigrants  that  are  leav 
ing  them,  all  of  whom  are  black,  and  has  passed 
various  laws  to  restrain  emigration,  openly  and 
avowedly  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  their  laborers 
among  themselves  ! 

15.  "The  policy  of  these  laws  is  condemned 
by  many  here,  who  contend  that  labor  must  be  left 
to  find  its  own  market ;  and  a  discussion  is  now 
actually  going  on  in  the  newspapers, — one  party 
insisting  that  there  must  be  laws  to  check  emigra 
tion,  and  the  other  contending  that  the  object  may 
be  more  effectually  accomplished  by  raising  the 
wages,  providing  better  houses  for  their  laborers, 
&c. ;  the  whole  dispute  being  how  they  shall  best 
be  able  to  keep  among  them  their  liberated  slaves  /" 

16.  "I  spent  last  evening  at  an  estate  about 
four  miles  from  town.      It  is  one  of  the  finest 
properties  in  the  island,  and  the  resident  manager 
is  reported  to  be  one  of  the  most  skilful  planters 
in  the  country.     Such  is  the  character  of  the  es 
tate,  that  when  the  French  admiral  visited  the  isl 
and  last  year,  the  governor  made  a  visit  with  him, 
for  the  especial  purpose  of  showing  him  a  speci 
men  of  Barbadoes  cultivation,  and  sugar  manu 
facture. 

17.  "There  are  on  the  plantation  two  hundred 
and  eighty  apprentices,  besides  children,  the  whole 


25(5  EMANCIPATION   IN 

number  amounting  to  four  hundred  and  fifty.  The 
conversation  turned  upon  emancipation ;  and,  sir,  I 
can  assure  you,  it  was  enough  to  affect  the  stout 
est  heart,  to  hear  ihe  expressions  of  gratitude  and 
satisfaction  with  which  the  new  order  of  things 
was  spoken  of.  I  believe  this  gentleman  to  have 
been  always  noted  for  kindness  to  his  slaves,  yet 
his  language  was  to  this  effect : — 

18.  "Pointing  to  the  long   arms  of  the  cane- 
mill,  he  said,  'I  rejoice  that  the  power  and  the 
temptation  to  oppress  these  poor  people  is  taken 
away.     How  many  times,  when  the  crop  pressed, 
have  I  kept  these  arms  flying  till  eight  o'clock  at 
night,  when  they  ought  to  have  been  chained  at 
six !  and  how  many  times  have  I  set  them  going 
at  three  in  the  morning,  when  I  ought  not  to  have 
done  it  until  six !  and  this  taken  out  of  the  strength 
of  these  poor  people !      In  how  many  instances 
have  I  made  myself  miserable,  by  giving  way  to 
anger,  and  inflicting  unjust  punishment ;  whereas 
now  we  have  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  we 
cannot  injure  them  if  we  would  !' 

19.  "As  we   walked  along   the   noble  gallery 
which  surrounds  the  house,  he  pointed  to  a  large 
building,  filled  with  lights,  situated  on   a  distant 
elevation,    and   observed,    '  There   is    good   work 
going   on;    there   are   the   Moravians  with   their 
schools  for  liberated  slaves.'     From  all  the  mem 
bers  of  the  family,   similar  language  was  heard, 
and  especial!    when  they  spoke  of  the  comparat 


THE    WEST    INDIES.  257 

live  comforts  of  living  on  an  estate  now,  and  during 
the  existence  of  slavery.  Now  there  is  a  feeling 
of  perfect  security,  a  sentiment  of  kindness  with 
mutual  good  will;  whereas,  formerly  there  was 
distrust  and  jealousy. 

20.  "  In  regard  to  the  industry  of  the  people, 
the  manager  said  that  it  was  enough  to  say,  that 
the  estate  *  had  never  been  in  so  high  a  state  of 
cultivation  as  at  present.'     Now,  sir,  I  believe  you 
will  fully  agree  with  me,  that  this  keeping  them 
under  is  the  very  thing  which  occasions  all  the 
difficulty.     Kick  a  dog  and  he  will  snarl,  and  per 
haps  bite  you ;  speak  kindly  to  him,  and  he  is  your 
friend. 

21.  "  My  store  is  situated  on  the  wharf,  amid  a 
very  dense  population,  swarming  with  black  por 
ters,  boatmen,  sailors,  &c. ;  and  these  people  are 
entitled  to  all  the  privileges,  and  possessed  of  all 
the  rights  of  freedom  that  I  am,  or  any  other  white 
man.     I  deal  with  these  people  more  or  less  every 
day,  and  I  have  been  trying  to  recollect  whether, 
in  all  my  residence  here,  I  have  ever  received  an 
impudent  word  from  one  of  them ;  possibly  I  may 
have  received  such,  but  if  I  have,  it  has  escaped 
my  memory. 

22.  "  I  have  often  said  and  felt  it,  that  it  is  a 
privilege  to  live  in  this  country  at  this  period ;  for 
it  is  to  witness  one  of  the  noblest  experiments 
ever  attempted  by  man.     I  ought  to  say  that  no 

man  is  the  author  of  it.     It  is  the  Lord's  work, 
22*  - 


258  IMPORTANT    PROJECT. 

and  he,  I  am  confident,  will  carry  it  on  to  a  glo 
rious  consummation.  I  trust  the  time  is  not  far 
distant,  when  I  shall,  at  home,  openly  do  and  say 
what  I  can,  in  behalf  of  my  enslaved  brethren  in 
the  United  States." 


IMPORTANT  PROJECT. 

FROM   THE    NEW   YORK   SPECTATOR. 

THE  march  of  the  colonization  cause  in  the 
South  is  onward.  The  corresponding  secretary 
of  the  New  York  Colonization  Society,  has  re 
ceived  a  letter  from  the  Rev.  R.  S.  Finley,  agent 
of  the  State  Colonization  Society  of  Mississippi, 
dated,  Natchez,  February  22d,  1837,  informing 
him  that  the  societies  in  the  states  of  Mississippi 
and  Louisiana,  have  each  resolved  to  establish  a 
colony  on  the  coast  of  Africa,  and  that  each  soci 
ety  will  expend  twenty  thousand  dollars  a  year, 
for  five  years,  in  sustaining  them :  that  the  Missis 
sippi  Society  has  already  purchased  a  suitable  ter 
ritory  for  that  object,  and  it  is  supposed  that  a 
purchase  has  also  been  made  for  the  Louisiana 
Society. 

2.  Mr.  Finley  mentions,  "We  have  nearly  se 
cured  the  sum  of  20,000  dollars  for  the  first  year, 
in  the  Mississippi  Society,  and  are  confident  of 


GRATITUDE    IN    A    LIBERATED    SLAVE.         259 

raising  the  same  sum  in  Louisiana,  as  the  enter 
prise  is  popular  in  both  states.  We  are  preparing 
to  send  out  an  expedition  to  Africa  soon  after  the 
1st  of  April;  and  Mr.  Blodget,  a  gentleman  of 
piety  and  learning,  is  appointed  physician  and  su 
geon;  and  there  are  about  fifty  emigrants  at  or 
near  Natches,  waiting  for  a  passage  to  Liberia. 

3.  "  We  also  propose  to  open  a  large  farm  for 
the  purpose  of  raising  bread  stuffs  for  the  colony, 
and  to  develop  the  agricultural  resources  of  the 
country,  by  cultivating,  on  an  extensive  scale,  cot 
ton,  sugar,  coffee,  &c.  We  also  propose  to  pur 
chase  one  or  more  vessels,  to  run  constantly  be 
tween  New  Orleans  and  the  colony." 


GRATITUDE  IN  A  LIBERATED  SLAVE. 

Communicated  by  W.  S.,  an  aged  and  respectable  citizen,  who  is 
yet  living  in  New  York,  5th  mo.  1837. 

SOME  time  in  the  year  1790,  a  member  of  the 
Manumission  Society,  residing  on  Golden  Hill, 
(now  called  John-street,)  in  New  York,  observed, 
for  a  considerable  time,  his  front  porch  to  be 
scrubbed  and  sanded,  every  Seventhday  morning 
before  the  family  were  up.  He  ordered  a  servant 
to  watch,  and  ascertain  to  whom  he  was  indebted 
for  this  singular  mark  of  kindness 

2.  At  an  early  hour  in  the  morning,  a  colored 


260  NORTHERN   AND   SOUTHERN 

woman  was  observed  with  her  pail,  brush,  cloth, 
soap,  and  sand,  carefully  performing  her  accus 
tomed  task.  The  domestic  who  had  been  on  the 
watch,  followed  her  home,  and  requested  to  know 
her  inducement  for  performing  this  service.  Her 
reply  was,  "  Massa  got  me  free,  and  I  can  do  no 
less  than  scrub  off  the  stoop."  A  gratitude  so 
genuine  and  untainted,  is  rarely  found  among  the 
most  polished  and  refined  minds. 


NORTHERN  AND  SOUTHERN  STATES 
CONTRASTED. 

FROM  "THE  FRIEND."— 1836. 

SENATOR  PRESTON,  of  South  Carolina,  spent 
several  weeks  last  summer,  in  passing  through  the 
Northern  States.  From  a  recent  address  by  him, 
at  a  public  meeting  of  his  fellow-citizens  of  the 
South,  the  following  has  been  published  as  an  ex 
tract.  The  contrast  is  drawn  with  a  strength  of 
coloring  characteristic  of  the  man,  yet  true  to  life. 
Surely,  to  a  mind  so  intelligent  as  his,  the  real 
cause  of  the  difference  must  have  been  present. 

2.  Do  away  the  blasting  influence  of  slavery ; 
proclaim  liberty  to  the  bondman ;  introduce  free 
labor;  and  in  the  country  wherein  "  nature  has  been 
so  prodigal,"  in. "the  genial  climate  and  fertile  soil 


STATES    CONTRASTED.  261 

of  the  South,"  "  the  industry  and  skill  that  have 
converted  the  inclement  and  barren  hills  of  New- 
England  into  a  garden,"  may  indeed  "  create  almost 
a  paradise." 

3.  "  No  Southern  man  can  journey  (as  I  have 
done)  through  the  Northern  States,  and  witness 
the   prosperity,   the   industry,   the    public    spirit, 
which  they  exhibit, — the   sedulous   cultivation  of 
all  those  arts  by  which  life  is  made   comfortable 
and   respectable, — without   feelings  of  deep  sad 
ness  and  shame,  as  he  remembers  his  own  neglect 
ed  and  desolate  home.     There,  no  dwelling  is  to 
be  seen  abandoned,  no  farm  uncultivated,  no  man 
idle,  no  waterfall  even,  unemployed.     Every  per 
son,  and  every  thing,  performs  a  part  toward  the 
grand  result,  and  the  whole  land  is  covered  with 
fertile  fields,  with  manufactories,  and  canals,  and 
railroads,  and  public  edifices,  and  towns  and  cities. 

4.  "  Along  the   route   of  the  great  New  York 
canal,    (that   glorious   monument  to  the  glorious 
memory  of  De  Witt  Clinton,)  a  canal,  a  railroad, 
and  a  turnpike,  are  to  be  seen  in  the  width  of  per 
haps  a  hundred  yards,  each  of  them  crowded  with 
travellers  or  overflowing  with  commerce.    Through 
out  their  course,  lands  that  before  their  construc 
tion  would  scarcely  command  five  dollars  the  acre, 
now    sell   for   fifty,    seventy-five,    or   a   hundred. 
Passing  along  it,  you  see  no  space  of  three  miles 
without  a  town  or  village,  and  you  are  never  out  of 
the  sound  of  a  church  bell. 


262  NORTHERN    AND    SOUTHERN 

5.  "We  of  the  South  are  mistaken  in  the  char 
acter  of  these  people,  when  we  think  of  them  only 
as  pedlars  of  .horn  flints  and  bark  nutmegs.     Their 
energy  and  enterprise  are  directed  to  all  objects, 
great  and  small,  within  their  reach.     At  the  fall  of 
a  scanty  rivulet,  they  set  up  their  little  manufac 
tory  of  wooden   buttons   or  combs  ;  they  plant  a 
barren  hillside  with  broom-corn,  and  make  it  into 
brooms  at  the  bottom,  and  on  the  top  they  erect  a 
windmill.     Thus,  at  a  single   spot,  you  may  see 
the  air,  the  earth,  and  the  water,  all  at  work  for 
them.     But  at  the  same  time,  the  ocean  is  whitened 
to  its  extremities  with  the  sails  of  their  ships,  and 
the  land  is  covered  with  their  works  of  art  and 
usefulness. 

6.  "  Massachusetts  is  perhaps  the  most  flourish 
ing  of  the  Northern  States.     Yet  of  natural  pro 
ductions  she  exports  but  two  articles,  granite  and 
ice.     Absolutely  nothing  but  rock  and  ice  !     Every 
thing  else   of  her  commerce,  from  which  she  de 
rives  so  much  wealth,  is  artificial,  the  work  of  her 
own  hands.     All  this  is  done  in  a  region  with  a 
bleak  climate  and  steril  soil,  by  the  energy  and  in 
telligence  of  the  people.     Each  man  knows  that 
the  public  good  is  his  individual  advantage. 

7.  "  The  number  of  railroads,  and  other  modes 
of  expeditious  intercommunication,  knits  the  whole 
country  into  a  closely  compacted  mass,  through 
which   the   productions  of  commerce  and  of  the 
press,  the  comforts  of  life  and  means  of  know! 


STATES    CONTRASTED.  263 

edge,  are  universally  diffused ;  while  the  close  in 
tercourse  of  travel  and  business  makes  all  men 
neighbors,  and  promotes  a  common  interest  and 
common  sympathy.  In  a  community  thus  con 
nected,  a  single  flash  of  thought  pervades  the  whole 
land  almost  as  rapidly  as  thought  itself  can  fly. 
The  population  becomes,  as  it  were,  a  single  set  of 
muscles,  animated  by  one  heart,  and  directed  by  a 
common  sensorium. 

8.  "  How   different  the  condition  of   things  in 
the  South !     Here,  the  face  of  the  country  wears 
the  aspect  of  premature  old  age  and  decay.     No 
improvement  is  seen  going  on,  nothing  is  done  far 
posterity,  no  man  thinks  of  any  thing  beyond  the 
present  moment.     Our  lands  are  yearly  tasked  to 
their  utmost  capacity  of  production,  and  when  ex 
hausted  are  abandoned  for  the  youthful  West. 

9.  "  Because  nature  has  been  prodigal  to  us,  we 
seem  to  think  it  unnecessary  to  do  anything  for 
ourselves.     The  industry  and  skill  that  have  con 
verted  the  inclement  and  barren  hills  of  New  Eng 
land  into  a  garden,  in  the  genial  climate  and  fer 
tile  soil  of  the  South,  would  create  almost  a  par 
adise.      Our  natural   advantages   are   among   the 
greatest  with  which  Providence  has  blessed  man 
kind,  but  we  lack  the  spirit  to  enjoy  and  improve 
them.     The  rich  ore  is  beneath  our  feet,  yet  we 
dig  not  for  it.     The  golden  fruit  hangs  from  the 
bough,  and  we  lift  not  our  hands  to  gather  it." 


264  ENCOURAGING    FACTS. 


ENCOURAGING    FACTS. 

FROM   THE   AFRICAN   REPOSITORY. 

THOMAS  HIGGINBOTHAM,  of  Amherst  county, 
Virginia,  \vho  died  in  February  last,  left  a  will  in 
which  he  directed  that  his  slaves,  about  fifty  in 
number,  should  all  be  free,  provided  they  were 
willing  to  leave  the  state ;  if  not,  that  they  should 
have  the  privilege  of  selecting  owners  among  his 
brothers  and  sisters. 

2.  A  correspondence  concerning  them,  has  taken 
place  between  Thomas  Higginbotham's  executor, 
and  the  officers  of  the  Colonization  Society.     A 
letter  from  the  executor,  dated  the  23d  of  April, 
states,  that  all  the  servants,  except  one  man,  two 
women,  and  two  children,  have  elected  to  accept 
their  freedom,  on  the  terms  prescribed  by  the  will. 
A  farther  communication  on  the  subject  is  expected 
by  the  society. 

3.  A  gentleman  in  Buckingham  county  in  the 
same  state,  now  deceased,' left  twenty-three  slaves, 
with  directions  in  his  will,  that  they  should  be  hired 
out  until  his  debts  were  paid,  and  then  be  free. 
His  debts  have  been  paid,  and  application  has  been 
made  on  behalf  of  his  executor  to  the  Colonization 
Society,  inquiring  whether  it  will   send   them  to 
Liberia,  on  certain  terms  which  are  stated. 

4.  A  gentleman  in  the  neighborhood  of  Jones- 


A  COLORED  INFANT  SCHOOL.       265 

borough,  is  willing  to  liberate  four,  perhaps  five 
slaves,  on  condition  of  their  going  to  Liberia,  and 
the  society  has  been  applied  to  on  the  subject. 

5.  A  gentleman  in  Tennessee,  not  long  sine 3 
died,  possessed  of  twenty  slaves,  whom  he  manu 
mitted  by  his  will.  His  heirs  contested  this  clause 
of  the  will,  and  it  has  been  judicially  decided,  that 
the  slaves  should  be  free  on  condition  of  their 
going  to  Liberia. 


A   COLORED    INFANT  SCHOOL. 

FROM   THE   COLONIZATION    HERALD. 

WE  had  the  pleasure  of  attending  a  most  inter 
esting  examination  of  a  colored  infant  school,  a  few 
days  since,  at  the  Musical  Fund  Hall,  Philadelphia. 
Seldom  have  we  witnessed  a  more  lively  or  in 
structive  scene, — so  delightfully  impressed  with 
the  beauty  and  sublimity  of  Christian  charity. 

2.  Here  were  one  hundred  children,  collected 
from  the  courts  and  alleys  of  a  degraded  and  much 
neglected  portion  of  our  city,  neatly  clad,  with 
smiling  faces  and  orderly  demeanor,  answering 
with  the  greatest  accuracy,  questions  on  science, 
history,  and  religion,  and  exhibiting,  in  their  whole 
deportment,  a  singular  specimen  of  early  intellect 
ual  development  and  moral  training. 
23 


266  IRROUBA. 

3.  And  this  was  all  the  fruit  of  one  man's  be 
neficence  I  A  single  individual  originated  and  has 
supported  this  school  for  four  years  and  a  half. 
Having  committed  its  management  to  a  board  of 
four  ladies,  who  generously  superintend  and  con 
duct  its  operations,  he  regularly  discharges  the 
bills  of  expenses  as  they  are  presented  to  him 
quarterly  ;  while,  with  true  humility,  he  conceals 
his  name  from  the  public,  and  contemplates  in  se 
cret  the  results  of  his  charity. 


IRROUBA. 

DUBALLON  gives  the  following  account  of  a  wo 
man  of  color,  in  Jamaica,  in  1 802  : — "  Let  us  visit 
the  old  woman  that  has  seen  her  hundredth  year," 
says  one  of  the  company  ;  and  we  advanced  to  the 
door  of  a  little  hut,  where  an  old  negress  of  Sene 
gal  appeared,  so  enfeebled  that  she  was  bent  for 
ward  and  obliged  to  lean  against  the  side  of  her 
hut,  to  receive  the  company  assembled  at  the  door ; 
she  was  also  dull  of  hearing,  but  her  eye  was  still 
lively. 

2.  Every  thing  around  her  showed  that  she  was 
destitute  and  suffering.  She  had  scarcely  rags 
enough  to  cover  her,  and  had  not  fire  sufficient  to 
give  warmth,  at  a  season  when  the  cold  is  sensibly 


IRROUBA.  267 

felt  by  the  aged,  and  more  particularly  by  those  of 
her  country.  We  found  her  boiling  a  little  rice  and 
\vater  for  her  supper,  for  she  did  not  receive  that 
regular  subsistence  from  her  master,  which  her 
great  age  and  former  services  required.  She  was 
besides  alone  and  neglected ;  her  exhausted  frame 
was  more  indebted  to  nature  than  to  her  master. 

3.  The  reader  ought  to  know,  that,  independ 
ently  of  her  long  service,  this  woman  had  formerly 
nourished,   with   her    milk,  two  white    children, 
whom  she  had  seen  arrive  at  complete  growth,  and 
whom  she  afterward  followed  to  the  tomb ;  and 
these  were  the  brothers  of  one  of  the  masters  then 
present.     The  old  woman  perceived  him  and  call 
ed  him  by  name  ;  she  spoke  with  an  air  of  kind 
ness  truly  affecting,  and  said,  "  When  wilt  thou 
repair  the  roof  of  my  hut  ?" 

4.  It  was  almost  uncovered,  and  the  rain  poured 
freely.     He  raised  his  eyes  toward  it ;  it  was  not 
higher  than  the  hand  could  reach.     "  I  shall  think 
of  it,"  said  he.     "  Thou  wilt  think  of  it !     Thou 
always   tellest  me   so,  but   nothing  is  ever  done. 
Hast  thou  not  thy  children,  (two  negroes  of  the 
workshop,  her  grandchildren,)  who  could  mend  the 
hut  ?  art  thou  not  their  master  ?  and  art  thou  not 
thyself  my  son  ? 

5.  "  Come,"  said  she,  taking  him  by  the   arm, 
"  come  into  the  cabin,  and   see  for  thyself  these 
openings :  have   pity,  then,  my  son,  on    the  old 
Irrouba,  and  repair  at  least  that  part  of  the  roof 


268  BELINDA. 

which  is  above  my  bed ;  it  is  all  I  ask,  and  the 
Good  Being  will  bless  thee."  And  what  was  her 
bed  ?  Alas  !  three  boards  put  together,  on  which 
lay  a  bundle  of  parasite  plant  of  the  country. 
"  The  roof  of  thy  hut  is  almost  uncovered ;  the 
sleet  and  the  rain  beat  against  thy  miserable  bed  ; 
thy  master  sees  all  this,  and  yet  has  no  compas 
sion  for  thee,  poor  Irrouba,"  says  the  visiter. 


MB  ft332  Dfifl 


BELINDA, 

BORN  in  a  pleasant  and  fertile  part  of  Africa, 
was  brought  thence  to  America,  when  she  was 
about  twelve  years  of  age,  and  sold  for  a  slave.  In 
1  782,  she  presented  a  petition  to  the  legislature  of 
Massachusetts. 

2.  "  Although  I  have,"  says  she,  **  been  servant 
to  a  colonel  forty  years,  my  labors  have  not  pro 
cured  me  any  comfort  :  I  have  not  yet  enjoyed  the 
benefits  of  creation.     With   my  poor  daughter,  I 
fear  I  shall  pass  the    remainder  of  my  days  in 
slavery  and  misery.    For  her  and  for  myself,  I  beg 
freedom." 

3.  The  authors  of  the  American  Museum  have 
preserved  this   petition,  written  without  art,  but 
dictated  by  the  eloquence  of  grief,  and  therefore 
more  calculated  to  move  the  heart  to  pity. 


EXTRACT  FROM  A  LETTER.        269 


EXTRACT  FROM  A  LETTER  FROM  S.  G. 

Alexandria,  1809. 

AT  Georgetown,  I  had  the  company  of  several 
persons,  among  whom  was  a  physician,  who  had 
but  lately  removed  to  that  place.  He  appears  to 
be  of  a  sensible  and  tender  spirit.  He  rhentioned 
a  circumstance  of  which  he  was  an  eye  witness  : 
and  it  being  on  a  subject  that  had  nearly  interested 
my  feelings  since  I  crossed  the  Susquehanna 
river,  I  cannot  but  notice  it. 

2.  While  he  lived  back  in  the  country,  he  was 
sent  for   by  a  slaveholder   to   visit   a   sick  man. 
When  he  came  to  the  place,  he  found  a  black  man 
lying  on  a  plank,  with  a  little   straw,  and  a  poor 
blanket  over  him.     In  attending  to  him,  his  pulse 
seemed  to  be   throbbing  its  last;  his  eyes  were 
shut,  and  life  nearly  gone.     The  slaveholder,  not 
expecting  this,  began  to  curse  and  swear  at  the 
poor  slave,  threatening  him  how  severely  he  would 
have  him  whipped  as  soon  as  he  recovered ; — "for," 
said  he,  "  he  has  brought  this  sickness  upon  him 
self,  under  pretensions  of  being  religious,  and  going 
to  night  meetings." 

3.  Thus  he  continued  his  threats  and  swearing, 
until  he  was  told  the  poor  man  could  not  live  many 
minutes  more.    At  which  his  countenance  changed 
a  little ;  and  the  sick  man,  by  a   sudden  effort, 

23* 


270  .as      A   NEGRO    SLAVE. 

turning  himself,  opening  his  eyes,  and  clasping  his 
hands  thrice,  cried  out,  in  a  language  like  this  :  "  0  ! 
glory  and  praise  unto  thee,  O  Lord  !  O  !  what 
mercy  and  goodness  thou  hast  shown  me  this  day  ! 
Glory  unto  thee,  who  art  now  taking  my  soul  unto 
thyself,  having  redeemed  it !"  He  then  expired. 


A  NEGRO  SLAVE. 

THE  following  account  of  the  dying  hours  of  a 
converted  native  of  Africa,  was  given  by  a  lady 
who  witnessed  her  sufferings  and  comfort.  This 
aged  Christian  was  a  slave  in  Antigua.  She  says, 
"  We  often  visited  her,  and  always  found  her 
cheerful  and  happy,  and  her  mouth  filled  with 
blessings.  She  enumerated,  with  all  the  feelings 
of  gratitude,  the  advantages  she  had  derived  from 
our  coming  to  see  her ;  blessing  and  praising  God 
for  it,  and  asking,  in  the  most  affectionate  manner, 
for  blessings  on  the  very  ship  which  brought  us 
thither. 

2.  "  She  could  not,  she  said,  forget  her  God,  for 
he  did  not  forget  her ;  when  she  lay  down  upon 
her  bed,  he  came  down  to  her  :  meaning  by  this, 
to  describe  the  spiritual  communion  which  she 
enjoyed  with  her  God  and  Saviour.  She  told  us, 
if  it  was  the  will  of  *  Jesus  Massa'  to  call  her  to- 


A  NEGRO    SLAVE.  271 

morrow,  she  should  be  satisfied  to  go :  if  it  was 
his  will  to  spare  her  some  time  longer,  she  would 
be  willing  to  stay.  We  frequently  called  to  see 
her,  and  always  found  her  in  the  same  strain  of 
adoring  gratitude  and  love. 

3.  "  She  often  regretted  her  inability  to  come  to 
prayers.     Indeed,  such  was  her  desire  to  join  us 
in  worshipping  God,  that  she  once  got  her  son  to 
bring  her  on  his  back.     When  I  asked  her,  on  an 
other  occasion,  how  she  did,  she  replied,  she  did 
not  know ;  but  He  who  made  the  soul  and  body, 
knew,  and  the  best  time  for  calling  her  away.    She 
only  hoped  it  would  not  be  pitch  darkness ;  but 
that  there  might  be  light :  and  that  he  would  re 
member  his  promises  to  her.     She   thanked  me 
when  I  offered  her  some  medicine ;  said  she  would 
have  any  thing  which  we  gave  her,  and  that '  Jesus 
Massa  would  pay  us  for  all.' 

4.  "  On  another    visit,  she   asked,  *  What    can 
poor  massa  do  more  ? — what  can  poor  missis  do 
more?     They  cannot  take  away  old  age.'     She 
repeated,  that  she  was  waiting  for  her  summons 
from  above,  and  said  God  spared  her  a  little,  and 
she  thanked  him  for  it.     By  and  by,  when  he  saw 
his  time,  he  would  come,  and  then  she  would  thank 
him  for  that.     She  once  appeared  to  have  some 
doubts   in   her  mind ;  for  when  she  spoke  of  her 
approaching  departure,  she  said  she  should  be  glad 
to  go,  if  she  was  to  be  happy,  and  if  the  way  was 
not  dark. 


272  A    NEGRO    SLAVE. 

5.  "  On  being  asked  if  she  did  not  love  '  Jesus 
Massa,'   she   exclaimed,  in  great  surprise   at  the 
question,  '  Ah  !  ah !'  and  then  told  us  how,  years 
ago,  she  had  been  in  the  habit  of  visiting  different 
plantations,  to  hear  the  word  of  life  ;  and  that  when 
she  came  in,  fatigued  with  labor  in  the  field,  she 
did  not  go  to  seek  for  food  to  nourish  her  body, 
but  went  in  pursuit  of  that  bread  which  endureth 
unto  eternal  life.     This  evening  she  said, '  Jesus 
Massa  come  closer  and  closer  to  me.' 

6.  "  The  next  evening,  she  appeared  so  faint  and 
low,  as  to  be  scarcely  conscious  of  our  coming  in. 
After  a  while,   however,   she   exerted  herself  to 
speak,  and  told  us  she  was   in  pain  from  head  to 
foot :  nobody  had  beat  her ;  nobody  whipped  her ; 
but  'Jesus    Massa'  had   sent   the   pain,  and  she 
thanked  him  for  it :  some  day,  when  he  saw  good, 
lie  would  come  and  lake  her  away. 

7.  "  After  lingering  thus  for  some  time,  still  in 
pain,  but  prayer  and  praise  ever  flowing  from  her 
lips,  she  drew  near  her  end.     When  in  her  great 
est  extremities,  she  said  her  Saviour  would  give 
her  ease,  when  he  saw  fit :  and  if  he  did  not  give  it 
her  now,  he  would  give  it  her  yonder — pointing 
upward. 

8.  "Thus    this    aged  Christian   fell  asleep  in 
Jesus.     Her  external  condition  was  by  no  means 
enviable.    Little,  however,  as  it  presented  to  charm 
the  eye  of  sense,  a  mind  of  spiritual  discernment 
perceived  in  her  humble  cottage  a  heavenly  guest, 


AGNES   MORRIS.  273 

whose  presence  shed  a  divine  splendor  around, 
with  which  all  the  pomp  of  human  greatness  would 
vainly  attempt  to  vie." 


AGNES  MORRIS. 

ANOTHER  narrative,  respecting  a  dying  woman, 
displays  a  faith  so  strong,  a  hope  so  full  of  immor 
tality,  as  may  lead  the  Christian  reader  to  exclaim, 
"  Let  my  last  hours  be  like  those  of  this  poor 
slave."  Agnes  Morris,  a  poor  negro  woman,  sent 
a  pressing  request  to  Mrs.  Thwaites,  a  lady  resi 
dent  in  Antigua,  to  visit  her :  she  was  in  the  last 
stage  of  dropsy. 

2.  This  poor  creature  ranked  among  the  lowest 
class  of  slaves.     Her  all  consisted  of  a  little  wat 
tled*  hut  and  a  few  clothes.     Mrs.  Thwaites,  find 
ing  her  at  the  commencement  of  her  illness  in  a 
very  destitute  condition,  mentioned  her  case  to  a 
friend,  who  gave  her  a  coat.     When  she  paid  her 
last  visit,  on  her  entering  the  door,  Agnes  exclaim 
ed,  "  Missis  !  you  come  J     This  tongue  can't  tell 
what  Jesus  do  for  me  !     Me  r.all  my  Saviour  day 
and  night;    and  he  come" — laying  her  hand  on 
her  breast — "  he  comfort  me  here." 

3.  On  being  asked  if  she  was  sure  of  going  to 

*  Plaited  twigs. 


274  AGNES    MORRIS. 

heaven  when  she  died,  she  answered,  "  Yes,  ma 
sure.  Me  see  de  way  clear,  and  shine  before 
me"  —  looking  and  pointing  upward  with  a  smiling 
face.  "  If  da  dis  minute,  Jesus  will  take  me 
home,  me  ready."  Some  hymns  being  sung,  she 
was  in  a  rapture  of  joy  ;  and  in  reference  to  the 
words  of  one  of  them,  exclaimed,  "  For  me  —  for 
me  —  poor  sinner  !"  —  lifting  up  her  swelled  hands  — 
44  what  a  glory  !  what  a  glory  !" 

4.  Seeing  her  only  daughter  weeping,  she  said, 
"  What  you  cry  for  ?     No  cry  —  follow  Jesus  —  he 
will  take  care  of    you."     And    turning   to   Mrs. 
Thwaites,  she  said,  "  Missis,  show  um  de  pa  :" 
meaning  the  path  to  heaven.     Many  other  expres 
sions  fell  from  her,  of  a  similar  nature,  to  the  as 
tonishment  of  those  who  heard  her.    It  was  under 
stood  she  continued  praying  and  praising  God  to 
her  latest  breath. 

5.  This  poor  creature  was  destitute  of  all  earth 
ly  comforts.     Her  bed  was  a  board,  with  a  few 
plantain  leaves  over  it.     How  many  of  these  out 
casts  will  be  translated  from  outward  wretchedness 
to  realms  of  glory,  there  to  mingle  with  the  bless 
ed,  and  sing  praises  to  Him  who  lives  for  ever  ! 


-tioflTGO  .o- 


AN    ANECDOTE. 


AN  ANECDOTE. 

FROM   THE   GENIUS   OF   UNIVERSAL   EMANCIPATION—1825. 

This  illustration  of  the  effects  of  slavery  on  the  hearts  of  those 
who  enforce  its  cruelties,  is  copied  from  "  Letters  from  the  South 
and  West"— a  publication  of  great  merit. 

A  RICH  planter's  lady  had  long  been  in  a  con 
sumption,  and  was  now  in  the  last  stages  of  life  ; 
when,  one  day,  one  of  the  old  slaves  came  to  the 
gate,  nearly  blind,  and  bending  down  under  the 
burden  of  almost  a  hundred  years  of  faithful  ser 
vice  for  herself,  and  her  father  and  grandfather 
before  her.  His  remnants  of  clothing  were  so 
patched,  that  one  could  not  distinguish  the  original 
garment.  On  his  woolly  head,  all  gray  with  age, 
was  a  cap  of  straw,  of  his  own  twisting. 

2.  He  stood  weeping  like  a  child,  and  said  that 
he  had  crept  up  once  more  from  the  cotton  field, 
and  had  been  three  days  coming,  to  see  his  sick 
mistress  before  she  died.  His  mistress  sent  for 
him  to  come,  and  spoke  kindly  unto  him;  and 
when  he  was  going  to  try  to  walk  back  again,  he 
turned,  and  begged  his  sick  mistress  to  give  him 
a  little  salt  to  put  into  his  grit,  or  small  hominy  of 
rice.  **  Begone  !"  cried  the  almost  dying  mistress, 
flying  into  a  rage — "  begone  !  out  this  instant,  you 
old  white-wooled  skeleton  !  out,  I  say,  or  111  send 
ou  to  the  driver !" 


MARYLAND 


MARYLAND  TRADE. 

PROM   THE   GENIUS    OF   UNIVERSAL   EMANCIPATION. 

THE  reader  will  bear  in  mind,  that  the  slaves 
transported  in  sundry  vessels  from  Baltimore,  as 
stated  in  the  last  number  of  this  work,  were  taken 
by  sea  to  New  Orleans.  The  following  advertise 
ment  is  from  a  New  Orleans  paper : — 

2.  "  Ninety-eight  Negroes  for  sale. 
"  The  subscriber  has  just  received,  by  brig  Lady 
Monroe,  from  Baltimore,  Ninety-eight  Negroes  : 
among  which,  are  a  number  of  prime  field  hands  ; 
a  blacksmith ;  a  rough  carpenter ;  a  bricklayer ; 
carriage  drivers  ;  house  servants ;  seamstresses, 
and  washerwomen  :  all  of  which  will  be  sold  low 
for  cash,  or  on  a  short  credit  for  good  paper,  by 

"  JOHN  WOOLFOLK,  122  Chartres-street" 

3.  I  now  have  it  from  good  authority,  that  five 
droves  were  met  by  a  traveller,  on  the  road  be 
tween  Abbingdon  and  Winchester,  in  Virginia, 
from  the  9th  to  the  21st  of  June  last,  going  ta 
Alabama.  These  droves  consisted  of  from  twenty- 
five  to  one  hundred  or  upward.  They  were  mostly 
taken  from  Maryland  and  the  eastern  counties  of 
Virginia.  In  one  of  these  droves,  twenty-four  men 
were  chained  together  / 


STEPHEN    DUTTON.  27t 

iiK  wir 


oitoq  emaa  «i>i8«  si!  a*,:- 
STEPHEN  DUTTON, 

A  MAN  of  color,  residing  in  Wilmington,  Dela 
ware,  advertised  his  little  grand-daughter,  Eliza 
Boyce,  who  is  supposed  to  have  been  sold  or  kid 
napped,  and  carried  to  some  Southern  market. 
He  earnestly  entreats  the  humane  of  all  Southern 
towns,  to  observe  the  droves  of  slaves  that  are 
carried  through  the  country,  and  if  possible  to  dis 
cover  hen  She  is  about  ten  years  old.  What  a 
picture  is  here  presented  to  a  free  people,  tena 
cious  of  their  rights  ! 


"MAN  DOES  NOT  FEEL  FOR  MAN." 

THE  following  facts  have  been  communicated 
on  such  authority  as  leaves  no  room  to  doubt  of 
their  accuracy.  A  negro  slave  in  Maryland  was 
about  to  be  sold  for  three  hundred  dollars,  in  the 
spring,  to  a  Georgia  planter,  when  a  white  man 
interfered  and  purchased  the  negro,  who,  on  the 
payment  of  the  purchase  money,  three  hundred 
dollars  with  interest,  was  to  be  manumitted. 

2.  Late  in  July  last,  the  Maryland  purchaser 
came  to  Philadelphia,  and  induced  the  negro  to  go 
24 


278  SPECULATION. 

with  him  to  that  state,  for  the  purpose  of  making, 
as  he  said,  some  public  official  declaration,  which 
it  was  necessary  to  have  done  in  open  court.  The 
negro  had  repaid  one  hundred  and  forty  dollars  of 
the  purchase  money.  He  and  the  white  man  left 
the  city  together,  and  the  negro  has  never  been 
permitted  to  return. 

3.  Of  him  and  his  destination  we  have  ascer 
tained  the  following  particulars.  The  day  after  he 
left  Philadelphia,  at  the  first  stage  at  which  they 
stopped  in  Maryland,  he  was  seized  and  put  in 
irons ;  four  hundred  dollars  were  paid  for  him,  by 
a  person  said  to  have  come  from,  and  to  reside  in 
Alabama,  and  he  was  rapidly  taken  out  of  the 
state.  This  is  a  known  case  of  inhumanity  ! ! ! 

Philadelphia,  August  13th,  1825. 


SPECULATION! 

A  DROVE  of  negroes,  on  their  way  to  a  market, 
passed  through  Raleigh,  North  Carolina,  and  en- 
camped  for  the  night  about  thirty  miles  distant.  As 
the  owner  was  securing  them  for  the  night,  one  of 
them  took  up  a  stone,  and  struck  him  so  with  if, 
as  brought  him  to  the  ground.  In  the  confusion 
which  ensued,  several  of  them  made  their  escape 
though  in  chains. 


THE  NEGRO  MARTYR.  279 


LIBERALITY. 

GOVERNOR  COLES,  of  Illinois,  that  well-known 
advocate  for  liberty,  has  emancipated  all  the  slaves 
he  took  with  him  from  Virginia,  and  settled  them 
on  small  farms. 


THE  NEGRO  MARTYR. 

THE  friends  of  negro  slavery,  or  in  other  words, 
the  abettors  of  rapine,  cruelty,  and  murder,  long 
endeavored  to  propagate  an  opinion,  that  the  ne 
groes  were  a  race  of  men  so  destitute  of  natural 
talents,  as  not  to  be  qualified  for  a  situation  supe 
rior  to  that  of  a  slave.  A  variety  of  facts  have 
proved  the  falsehood  of  this  injurious  aspersion; 
the  design  of  which  was  to  blind  the  nation,  that 
these  slave-dealers  might  be  allowed  to  revel  on 
their  prey,  Vv 

2.  The  African  wants  but  civilization  and  gos 
pel  light,  to  make  it  manifest  that  mental  powers 
"  dwell  in  black  and  white  the  same  ;"  and  the  God 
of  all  mercy  has  bestowed  on  some  of  these  "  poor 
desolate  outcasts  of  men,"  that  knowledge  and 
those  riches  whick, their  proud  oppressors  never 


280  THE    NEGRO    MARTYR. 

knew.     Among  those  thus  favored,  may  be  num 
bered  the  subject  of  the  following  narrative. 

3.  About  sixteen  years  ago,  a  healthy  and  most 
valuable  African  slave,  in  one   of  the  West  India 
plantations,  was  converted  to  Christianity  by  being 
made  a  new  creature  in  Christ  Jesus.    His  wicked 
and  brutal  master,  (falsely  called  a  Christian,)  did 
all.  he  could  to  make  him  renounce  his  Saviour ; 
and  to  effect  this  purpose,  often  flogged  him  most 
unmercifully. 

4.  This  cruelty,  however,  did  not  move  the  poor 
African  youth  from  his  adherence  to  Christ.     The 
master  persevered  in  his  inhuman  conduct,  till,  at 
length,  on  one  day,  memorable  for  the  perpetration 
of  the    infernal   deed,  he  determined,    if  the  poor 
slave  would  not  renounce  Christ,  that  he  would 
flog  him  to  death ! !     With  horrible   cruelty,  he 
lashed  him  till  his  flesh  was   torn,  and  it  hung 
about  him  in  tatters  ! ! 

5.  With  inhuman  hardness,  the  master,  while 
he  was  thus  flogging  his  excellent  slave,  tauntingly 
inquired,   "What    now    does    your  Jesus   do  for 
you  ?"     The  boy  replied,  "  He   helps  me  to  bear 
dese  strokes,  massa,  with  patience."     And  when 
this  heroic   martyr,  in  the   act   of  expiring,   was 
sneeringly    asked    by   his  tormentor,  "And   now 
what  has  your  Jesus  done  for  you  ?"  he  immedi 
ately  answered,  with  a  faltering  voice,  "  Even  dis, 
massa,  dat  me    can  PRAY  for  you,  and  FORGIVE 
you*  eioa 


THE    NEGRO    MARTYR.  281 

6.  Here  let  us  pause  for  a  moment,  and  contrast 
the  situation  of  these  two  human  beings  ;  each  pos 
sessing  an  immortal  soul,  equally  precious  in  the 
eyes  of  Him  that  made  them.     The  poor  slave, 
iust  expiring  under  the  barbarous  treatment  of  his 
master,  and  looking  forward  to  that  rest   and  joy 
which  are  the  inheritance    of  the  faithful,  could, 
with  his  latest  breath,  like  good  Stephen,  pray  for 
and  forgive  his  cruel  murderer.     Though  his  de 
parture  was   through   severe  bodily  suffering,  his 
soul  is  doubtless  for  ever  happy. 

7.  But  language  would  fail  to  paint,  in  its  true 
colors,  the  situation  of  the  poor  master ;  and  if  we 
have  a  tear  of  pity  to  bestow,  let  us  grant  it  to  him. 
Avarice  and  tyranny  must  have  blinded  his  eyes, 
and  the  cruelty  of  a  demon  taken  possession  of  his 
heart.    As  to  his  sense  of  a  state  of  retribution,  we 
must  leave  that  to  Him  who  sees  us  as  we  really 
are,  and  from   whose  all-seeing  eye  nothing  can 

be  hid. 

24* 


282  THE    AFRICAN    CHIEF. 


THE     AFRICAN    CHIEF. 

FROM   THE   AFRICAN   REPOSITORY. 

SOME  years  ago,  the  brother  of  Yaradee,  the 
king  of  the  Solimas,  was  captured  in  war,  and 
brought  in  chains  for  sale  to  the  Rio  Pongas.  His 
noble  figure,  awful  front,  and  daring  eye,  bespoke 
a  mind  which  could  know  but  one  alternative — 
freedom  or  ruin.  He  was  exhibited  like  a  beast 
in  the  market  place,  still  adorned  with  massy  rings 
of  gold  around  his  ancles,  as  in  the  days  of  his 
glory. 

2.  The  tyrant  who  bound  him,  demanded  for 
him  an  enormous  price,  and   though  the  warrior 
offered  immense  sums  for  his  redemption,  he  re 
fused  to  listen  a  moment  to  his  proposals.     Dis 
tracted  by  the  thought  of  his  degradation,  the  tear 
stole  from  his  eye,  when  he  entreated  them  to  cut 
his  hair,  that  had  long  been  permitted  to  grow,  and 
was  plaited  with  peculiar  care.     Large  wedges  of 
gold  were  now  laid  at  the  feet  of  his  master,  to 
obtain  his  ransom. 

3.  All  was  in  vain.     The  wretch  who  held  him 
was  inexorable.     Supplication  might  as  well  be 
made  to  the  winds,  or  the  cliffs  and  deserts  of  his 
country.     Hope  was  now  dead, — darkness,  deep 
and   interminable,    settled   upon   his    soul.      His 
faculties  were  shattered  as  by  a  stroke  from  on 


THE    SLAVE-TAKER.  283 

high — he  became  a  maniac ;  and  that  robust  frame 
which  never  trembled  at  danger,  could  not  sustain 
the  workings  of  his  wounded  spirit,  but  withered 
and  perished  under  the  weight  of  his  chains. 

4.  Ye  who,  under  the  best  governments  in  the 
world,  range  at  pleasure,  and  enjoy  all  that  you 
can  desire,  having  none  to  make  you  afraid,  could 
the  miseries  produced  by  the  slave  trade  be  repre 
sented  to  you  in  their  truth — in  all  their  immensity, 
you  would  not  refuse  your  offerings  to  remove  a 
curse  which  has  consigned,  and  is  now  consigning, 
ten  thousand  manly  forms  to  fetters,  and  ten  thou 
sand  noble  souls  to  despair. 


THE  SLAVE-TAKER. 

THE  following  narrative  is  taken  from  the  Com 
mercial  Advertiser,  of  1825,  as  related  by  a  per 
son  who  attended  the  deathbed  of  a  man,  who 
had  employed  much  of  his  time  in  the  infamous 
business  of  taking  up  slaves,  and  sending  them 
back  to  their  masters.  He  says,  "  One  evening, 
just  as  I  was  preparing  for  bed,  a  female  called 
upon  me,  and  earnestly  entreated  me  to  go  and 
see  her  husband,  whom  she  believed  to  be  near 
the  close  of  life ;  adding,  '  He  has  been  long  sepa 
rated  from  me,  and  I  arrived  only  yesterday,  after 


284  THE    SLAVE-TAKER. 

a  journey  of  ten  days,  to  witness  his  distressed 
situation.' 

2.  "  Taking  my  trusty  servant  with  me,  I  fol 
lowed  her,  and  in  a  few  minutes,  we  were  by  the 
bedside  of  the  dying  man,  who  was  worn  almost 
to  a  skeleton,  and  surrounded  by  the  appearances 
of  abject  poverty.     The  weeping  wife  threw  her 
self  on  the  bed,  and  taking  one  of  his  feeble  hands 
in  hers,  told  him  what  she  had  done,  and  entreated 
him  to  open  his  heart  to  the  friend  she  had  brought 
to  administer  consolation  :  when,  turning  his  lan 
guid  eyes  toward  me,  in  which  horror  and  despair 
were   strongly  expressed — '  O  !  sir,'  said   he,   '  is 
there,  can  there  be  any  hope  for  the  greatest  and 
the  vilest  sinner  that  ever  lived  ?' 

3.  "  Being  exhausted,  he  fell  asleep  for  a  few 
minutes  :  but  the  spirit  that  never  dies  making  an 
other  struggle  before  its  departure,  he   turned  his 
eyes  around  upon  us,  and  said,   'This  poor  suffer 
ing  woman,  whom  I  have  so  basely  neglected,  has 
forgiven  me,  but  there  are  those  who  can  never 
forgive  me ;  those  whom  I  have  injured  and  be 
trayed,  and  who  are  out  of  my  reach — beyond  any 
atonement  I  can  offer.''     '  God  is  infinite,'  said  I, 
'  in  all  his  attributes,  and  mercy  is  among  the  num 
ber.'     '  0  !  sir,  I  know  it,'  replied  he  ;  *  but  there 
is  one  base  act  of  treachery,  besides  that  to  my 
poor  wife,  which  hangs  like  a  millstone  about  my 
neck. 

4.  "  '  Having  left  my  native  state  in  poverty  and 


THE    SLAVE-TAKER. 

distress,  brought  on  by  bad  habits,  I  came  to  Phila 
delphia  ;  and  being  willing  to  do  almost  any  thing, 
I  soon  fell  in  with  two  slave-owners  from  my  own 
state,  looking  for  some  slaves  who  had  made  their 
escape  from  them :  and  having  it  in  my  power  to 
assist  them,  I  did  it,  and  they  rewarded  me  beyond 
my  highest  expectations ;  and  for  six  years,  J  ob 
tained  a  disgraceful  subsistence  by  such  acts  of 
cruelty. 

5.  "  *  Among  other  transactions  of  that  period, 
was  the  apprehension  of  a  man  called  James,  who 

had  belonged  to  the  estate  of  Mr.  R ,  of  Albe- 

marle   county,  the  recollection  of  which  torments 

me  inexpressibly.     At  the  death  of  Mr.  R , 

James  passed  into  the  hands   of  those  who  treated 
him  very  ill — and  he  ran  away.     When  I  first  fell 
in  with  him,  he  lived   on  a  small  lot  in  New  Jer 
sey,  with  his  wife,  (a  free  woman,  whom  he  had 
married  in  Virginia,  and  contrived  to  bring  with 
him,)  and  three  children. 

6.  "  '  After  losing  my  way,  and  travelling  some 
hours  on  foot,  I  came  to   his  little  habitation,  late 
at  night.     He  treated  me  very  kindly,  gave  me 
food,  and  his  own  bed,  while  himself  and  wife  oc 
cupied  chairs  by  the  fire  ;  and  in  the  morning,  he 
walked  with  me  several  miles,  to  put  me  in  the 
right  way :  it  was  in  vain  that  I  offered  him  a 
small  reward,  he  would  not  take  it. 

7.  "  '  Months  had  passed  away,  when  by  chance 
I  saw  an  old  advertisement,  offering  a  large  reward 


286  THE    SLAVE-TAKER. 

for  his  apprehension.  I  knew  at  once  it  was 
James,  for  I  had  observed  a  remarkable  scar  on 
his  chin,  which  was  mentioned  in  the  description 
of  him.  Hard  as  my  heart  then  was,  and  callous 
to  every  feeling  of  humanity,  I  could  not  help 
shuddering  at  the  thought  of  betraying  my  kind 
friend :  but  the  prospect  of  gain  soon  made  my 
decision.  I  wrote  to  his  master,  and  received  his 
answer.  All  things  were  prepared,  and  I  was  to 
have  fifty  dollars  more  than  the  sum  mentioned  in 
the  advertisement. 

8.  "  '  I  went  alone  to  his  quiet  retreat,  (it  was  in 
winter,  and  the  weather  had  been  piercingly  cold, 
and  the  river  Delaware  was  closed,)  and  arrived  at 
early  twilight.     How  bitter  have  my  thoughts  been 
since,  when  I  have  recollected  the  honest  satisfac 
tion  that  gleamed  in  his  sable  features  when  I  ap 
proached.     During  the  evening,  I  proposed  to  him 
a  removal  into  Pennsylvania :  I  told  him  I  had  a 
few  acres  of  land,  suitable  for  -a  garden,  and  a 
comfortable  dwelling-house  in  the  neighborhood  of 
the  city,  and  that,  recollecting  his  former  kindness 
to  me,  I  had  come  to  persuade  him  to  occupy  the 
one,  and  improve  the  other,  for  which  I  could  af 
ford  to  give  him  high  wages. 

9.  " '  The  poor  man  agreed  to  accompany  me 
next  day,  to  look  at  the  premises ;    and  if  they 
pleased   him,  to  take  possession  of  them  on  the 
first  of  April.     Early  in  the  morning,  I  was  awaked 
by  preparations  for  breakfast ;  and   they  were  de- 


TnE    eLAfB  T^KEK. 


287 


hghteJ  YM&  *ny  taking  so  much  notice  of  them  as 
I  did,  and  with  my  gratitude  for  the  services  they 
had  rendered  me  ;  the  whole  family  were  cheerful. 

10.  "*  We  parted  with  light  hearts,  and  James 
and  I  reached  the  river  in  due  time,  and  began  to 
cross  it  on  the  ice.     Hitherto,  we  had  walked  side 
by  side,  but  now  he  fell  a  little  behind  me ;  and 
we  had  proceeded  but  a  little  way,  when  I  per 
ceived  the  ice  to  give  way,  and  I  immediately 
went  down  as  far  as  my  arms,  which  I  stretched 
out,  and  so  supported  myself  for  some  minutes, 
until  James  threw  me  the  end  of  his  greatcoat,  to 
which  I  held,  and  he  pulled  me  out,  and  taking 
me  on  his  shoulder,  carried  me  very  much  exhaust 
ed  to  the  shore.' 

11.  "Here  the  sick  man  closed  his  eyes,  and 
lay  for  a  short  time  ;  when,  reviving,  he  resumed 
the  affecting  narrative : — '  On  coming  to  myself 
again,  I  found  what  my  intended  innocent  victim 
had  been  prompted  to  do  by  feelings  of  humanity 
and  gratitude — he  had  rescued  me  from  inevitable 
destruction.      Shall   I   tell   you   what   followed  ?' 
*  0,  my  husband  !'  exclaimed  the  wife,  *  you  could 
not  have  persevered  in  your  wicked  purpose — you 
never  could  have  sent  the  man  into  slavery  who 
had  preserved  your  life  /' 

12.  "  '  Yes,  I  could,  I  did  !'  replied  the  husband, 
— 'cold-blooded  villain  that  I  was  :  the  very  day 
which  witnessed  my  danger  and  my  delivery,  saw 
Hie  assist  in  binding,  chaining  hand  and  foot, 


288  THE    SLAVE    TAKER. 

him  to  whom  I  was  indebted  for  my  worthless 
life  !  Separated  from  his  wife  and  children,  and 
freedom,  he  departed  without  uttering  a  single 
word.  Once,  and  once  only,  he  suffered  his  eyes 
to  dwell  for  an  instant  on  mine,  which  sunk  before 
their  glare.  Never  can  I  forget  that  agonizing  and 
despairing  glance — it  haunts  me  in  broad  daylight 
— it  is  with  me  in  the  deepest  shades  of  night!' 

13.  "My  servant  had  risen  up,  and  he  stood 
behind  me,  his   eyes   glistening  with   tears  that 
trickled  down  his  ebon  cheeks  ;  and  when  the  sick 
man  saw  him,  he  exclaimed,  in  the  extremity  of 
terror,  *  James  is  there — behind  you,  sir — he  is 
come  to  torment  me  already  !     Take  him  away — 
take  him  away !'   he  repeated  slowly,  and  sunk 
into  a  slumber  from  which  he  never  awoke  !" 

14.  "  The  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  upon  the  ways 
of  man,  he  seeth  all  his  goings.     There  is  no  dark 
ness,  nor  shadow   of  death,  where  the  workers  of 
iniquity  may  hide  themselves.     He  striketh  them 
as  wicked  men  in  the  open  sight  of  others.     They 
cause  the  cry  of  the  poor  to  come  unto  him ;  and 
he  heareth  the    cry  of  the   afflicted.      When  he 
giveth  quietness,  who  then  can  make  trouble  ?  and 
when  he  hideth  his  face,  who  then  can   behold 
him  ?  whether  it  be  done  against  a  nation,  or  against 
a  man  only,"  Job  xxxiv. 


THE    TWO    BOYS.  289 


THE  TWO  BOYS. 

As  W.  A.  B.,  a  citizen  of  New  York,  was  re 
turning  from  Albany,  in  the  winter  of  1818  or 
1819,  in  the  stage  coach,  it  was  overturned,  and 
he  was  so  much  hurt,  as  to  render  him  unable  to 
proceed :  lie  therefore  remained  at  a  house  about 
twenty  miles  from  the  city. 

2.  Not  long  after  his  fellow-travellers  had  left 
him,  a  man  by  the  name  of  Howard,  with  two  lit 
tle  black  boys,  in  a  covered  sleigh,  stopped  at  the 
door ;  and  our  traveller,  feeling  sufficiently  recov 
ered  from  his  hurt  to  proceed  on  his  journey  in  an 
easy  way,  requested  Howard  to  allow  him  to  take 
a  seat  in  his  sleigh,  and  accompany  him  to  New 
York,  whither  he  told  him  he  was  going. 

3.  His   request  was   at  first  refused,  but  after 
much  persuasion,  and  an  offer  of  payment  for  the 
trouble,  he  was  permitted  to  bear  them  company. 
On  leaving  the  house,  one  of  the  boys  was  placed 
on  the  back  of  the  sleigh,  (perhaps  because  their 
conversation  might  betray  the  wicked  purposes  of 
their  master,)  and  was  often  called  to,  which  cir 
cumstances    created    suspicion    that   all   was    not 
right. 

4.  They  had  not  gone  far,  before  the  boy  was 
missing ;  and  Howard  going  back  to  look  for  him, 

B.  had   an   opportunity    of  asking   the    other  boy 
25 


290  THE    TWO    BOYS* 

some  questions ;  irom  whose  answers  he  plainly 
perceived  that  the  design  was  to  take  them  to  the 
Southern  States,  for  the  purpose  of  selling  them. 
The  boy  being  soon  found,  they  proceeded  quietly 
along  till  near  evening,  when  they  reached  the 
city. 

5.  B.  being  left  at  his  own  house,  he  sent  a  per* 
son  after  Howard,  to  see  where  he  put  up ;  but  in 
stead  of  going  to  a  livery  stable,  as  he  said  he 
should,  he  went  directly  to  the  ferry  at  Powles 
Hook  and  crossed.     This  information  was  com 
municated  by  B.  to  some  of  the  members  of  the 
Manumission  Society,  and  two  of  them,  C.  M.  and 
S.  W.,  who  were  of  the  standing  committee,  were, 
next  morning,  though  it  was  a  severe  snow  storm, 
it  the  ferry  before  daylight ;  and  crossing  as  soon 
as  they  could,  they  pursued  him  several  miles  on 
the  post  road  to  Philadelphia ;  but  finding,  on  in 
quiry,  that  he  had  turned  off  into  a  by-way,  they 
followed  and  overtook  h  m,  after  travelling  several 
miles  further. 

6.  At  the  house  where  he  had  put  up,  he  was 
very  familiar,  and  he  said  he  had  frequently  been 
there,    on   his    way   to    and    from    Washington. 
Being  informed  that  he  had  violated  the  laws  of 
INew  York,  in  bringing  the  boys  away,  and  that  he 
must  return  with  them,  he  made  many  excuses ; 
but  they  were  not  sufficient,  and  they  all  returned 
together. 

7.  It  appeared,  however,  on  examination  of  both 


THE    TWO    BOYS.  291 

Howard  and  the  boys,  that  they  were  going  by 
their  own  consent ;  therefore,  after  receiving  a 
severe  reprimand,  and  leaving  money  to  pay  the 
passage  of  one  of  them  in  the  stage  coach,  back 
to  the  place  of  his  residence,  Howard  was  suffered 
to  depart.  The  other,  named  John  Jackson,  is  a 
near  connexion  of  Peter  Williams's  wife,  in  this 
city.  This  one  was  soon  sent  to  sea,  and  he  has 
followed  that  employment  ever  since ;  the  other 
soon  returned  home. 

8.  From  the  boys'  account,  it  appears  that  one 
of  them  had  run  away  from  his  master  in   Con 
necticut,  and  gone  to  Peekskill,  where  the  other 
lived.     There   Howard,  meeting  with  them,  told 
them  of  many  fine  and  curious  things  to  be  seen 
at  Washington,  to  which  place  he  was  going,  and 
whither  he  would  carry  them,  free  of  expense. 
When  they  passed  through  the  city,  he  told  them 
they  must  lie  close  in  the  bottom  of  the  sleigh,  for 
fear  they  would  be  taken  away,  and  kept  as  chim 
ney  sweepers 

9.  They  were  so  entirely  deceived  by  his  prom 
ises,  and  so  pleased  with  the  prospect  he  held  out 
to  them,  that  they  could  scarcely  be  persuaded  to 
quit  his  company,  even  when  their  danger  was 
stated  to  them.     Poor  boys  !  they  did  not  know 
the  miserable  state  to  which  this  base  man  was 
leading  them. 


292  THE    LITTLE    BOSTONUN. 


THE  LITTLE  BOSTONIAN. 

IN  the  year  1819,  a  decent-looking  man,  residing 
at  Sturbridge,  in  the  interior  of  Massachusetts, 
called  at  the  house  of  a  colored  woman  in  Boston, 
and  inquired  if  she  had  not  a  son,  whom  she  was 
willing  to  place  on  his  farm  in  the  country.  He 
promised  to  feed  and  clothe  him,  and  to  give  him 
an  ordinary  school  education. 

2.  The  poor  woman,  rejoiced  at  the  prospect  of 
obtaining  so  advantageous  a  situation  for  her  child, 
without  inquiring  into  his  character,  as  she  ought 
to  have  done,  gladly  gave  her  consent ;  and  fur 
nishing  the  boy  with  all  his  best  clothing,  she  des 
patched  him  on  his  journey  to  the   country,  with, 
as  she  thought,  his  future  master. 

3.  Instead   of  taking  him  to  Sturbridge,  as  he 
had  promised,  this  man  placed  him  on  board  a 
vessel  bound  to  New  York,  and  set  sail  with  him 
the  same  day  for  that  place.     Immediately  on  his 
arrival  there,  he  inquired  for  a  vessel  bound  and 
ready  to  sail  for  a  southern  port.     He   soon  found 
one  on  the  eve   of  departing  for   Savannah,  and 
took  the  boy  on  board  ;  but  providentially,  a  change 
of  wind  prevented  them  from  sailing  until  the  next 
day. 

4..  In  the  mean  time,  he  went  on  shore  to  amuse 
himself,  and  left  orders  for  the  boy  to  remain  in 


THE    LITTLE    BOSTONIAN.  293 

(he  forecastle,  stating  to  the  hands  that  he  was  his 
property,  and  that  they  must  not  permit  him  to  go 
on  shore,  lest  he  should  be  lost.  The  poor  child 
remained  there,  according  to  his  directions,  igno 
rant  of  the  fate  that  awaited  him.  He  was  fear 
ful  that  something  was  wrong,  but  still  he  could 
scarcely  suspect  that  he  could  meet  with  any  in 
jury  from  the  person  to  whom  his  only  surviving 
parent  had  entrusted  him,  with  the  strongest  in 
junctions  of  obedience. 

5.  While  he  was  in  that  situation,  at  times  mani 
festing  his  grief  by  tears,  the  pilot  who  was  em 
ployed  to  take  the  ship  to  sea,  attracted  by  his  in 
teresting  appearance  and  the  mournful  expression 
of  his  countenance,  inquired  of  him  the  cause  of 
his  being  there  alone,  (for  the  kidnapper  was  still 
on  shore,)  where  he  was  going,  and  what  was  the 
matter  with  him. 

6.  The  boy  told  him  his  story  in  the  simplicity 
of  his  heart — that  he  had  left  his  mother  to  go 
into  the  country  upon  a  farm,  and  that  the  man 
with  whom  he  was  going,  had  gone   away  and  left 
him  alone.     The  humane  pilot  immediately  sus 
pected  the  truth,  took  him  by  the  hand,  and  led 
him  up  to  a  member  of  the  New  York  Manumis 
sion  Society,  who  made  himself  acquainted  with 
the  particulars   of  his  situation,  and  promised  him 
his  protection. 

7.  Shortly  after,  the  kidnapper  made  his  appear 
ance,  in  pursuit  of  his  prey,  and  upon  his  arrival, 

25* 


294  EXTRAORDINARY    EXERTIONS 

was  ta  en  before  the  police  justices  of  the  city, 
and  committed  for  his  offence.  The  boy  was 
given  up  to  the  members  of  the  Manumission 
Society,  and  returned  by  them  to  his  mother  in 
Boston,  to  whom  he  was  the  first  to  communicate 
the  particulars  of  his  escape  from  the  dreadful 
fate  which  had  awaited  him. 

8.  The  miserable  wretch  who  had  brought  him 
away,  in  consequence  of  the  interference  and  so 
licitations  of  his  friends,  and  of  some  indications 
which  were  given  of  his  having  been  at  times  in 
sane,  was  permitted  to  return  to  his  friends,  who 
promised  to  prevent  him  from  engaging  in  similar 
practices  in  future. 


EXTRAORDINARY  EXERTIONS  TO  OBTAIN 
LIBERTY 

The  following  account  of  extraordinary  exertions  to  obtain  liberty, 
an  object  so  congenial  with  the  best  feelings  of  the  human  heart, 
is  copied  from  the  New  York  Commercial  Advertiser  of  1822. 

"  THAT  human  being,  who  would  run  the  gaunt 
let  for  freedom  so  desperately  as  the  poor  African 
appears  to  have  done,  whose  story  is  given  below, 
surely  should  never  again  be  brought  under  the 
lash  of  a  taskmaster.  The  captain  of  a  vessel 
from  North  Carolina,  called  upon  the  police  for 
advisement  respecting  a  slave  he  had  unconscious- 


TO    OBTAIN    LIBERTY.  295 

ly  brought  away  in  his  vessel,  under  the  following 
curious  circumstances : — 

2.  "Three   or  four  days  after  he  had  got  to 
sea,  he  began  to  be  haunted  every  hour  with  tones 
of  distress  seemingly  proceeding  from  a  human 
voice  in  the  very  lowest  part  of  the  vessel,     A 
particular  scrutiny  was  finally  instituted,  and  it 
was  concluded  that  the  creature,,  whatever  or  who 
ever  it  might  be,  must  be  confined  down  in  the 
run  under  the  cabin  floor ;  and  on  boring  a  hole 
with  an  auger,  and  demanding,    '  Who's   there  T 
a  feeble  voice  responded,  *  Poor  negro,  massa  ? 
It  was  clear  enough  then  that  some  runaway  negro 
had  hid  himself  there,  before  they  sailed,  trusting 
to  Providence  for  his  ultimate  escape. 

3.  "  Having  discovered  him,  however,  it  was 
impossible  to  give  him  relief,  for  the  captain  had 
stowed  even  the  cabin  so  completely  full  of  cotton, 
as  but  just  to  leave  room  for  a  small  table  for  him 
self  and  the  mate  to  eat  on ;  and  as  for  unloading 
at  sea,  that  was  pretty  much  out  of  the  question. 
Accordingly,  there  he  had  to  lie,  stretched  at  full 
length,  for  the  tedious  interval  of  thirteen  days* 
till  the  vessel  arrived  in  port  and  unloaded,  re 
ceiving  his  food  and  drink  through  the  auger  hole. 

4.  "The  fellow's  story  is,  now  he  is  released, 
that  being  determined  to  get  away  from  slavery, 
he  supplied  himself  with  eggs,  and  biscuit,  and 
some  jugs  of  water,  which  latter  he  was  just  OB 
the  point  of  depositing  in  his  harking  place,  whea 


236  HE    AFRICAN    BOY. 

he  discovered  the  captain  at  a  distance  coming  on 
board,  and  had  to  hurry  down  as  fast  as  possible 
and  leave  them  ;  that  he  lived  on  nothing  but  his 
eggs  and  biscuit,  till  discovered  by  the  captain,  not 
even  getting  a  drop  of  water,  except  what  he  had 
the  good  fortune  to  catch  in  his  hand  one  day, 
when  a  vessel  of  water  in  the  cabin  was  overset, 
during  a  squall,  and  some  of  it  ran  down  through 
the  cracks  of  the  floor  over  him." 


THE  AFRICAN  BOY. 

A  GENTLEMAN  from  the  East  Indies,  who  lately 
arrived  at  Exeter,  presented  a  lady  with  a  little 
African  boy,  about  nine  or  ten  years  of  age,  which 
some  time  since,  he  humanely  preserved  from 
being  destroyed  by  a  slave  merchant. 

2.  It  appears  that  among  many  slaves  who  were 
offered  for  sale  by  the  captain  of  a  slave  ship,  this 
black  infant  was  one ;  but,  not  being  able  to  pro 
cure  a  purchaser,  he  took  the  child  up  by  the  leg 
and  arm  to  throw  him  into  the  ocean,  and  when  in 
the  very  act,  the  above  gentleman  interposed,  and 
agreed  to  give  him  some  consideration  for  him. 


ABRAHAM.  —  JOHN    MOSELY.  297 


-,'          ABRAHAM.  .  . 

A  BOY  called  Abraham,  not  quite  four  years  old, 
was  not  only  remarkably  patient  and  resigned 
during  his  last  illness,  but  his  conversation  proved 
an  abiding  blessing  to  his  father,  who  happened 
then  to  be  in  an  unhappy  state  of  mind.  On  the 
day  before  he  died,  he  asked  him,  "  Father,  do  you 
love  me  ?"  The  father  replied,  "  Yes,  I  do."  Up 
on  repeating  his  question,  he  received  the  same 
answer.  "  But  then,"  added  he,  "  do  you  love  our 
Saviour?"  "  No,"  replied  the  father,  "I  am  just 
now  very  poor  and  miserable."  "  Ah  !"  said  the 
child,  "  if  you  do  not  love  our  Saviour,  you  cannot 
love  me  as  you  ought." 


JOHN  MOSELY. 

FROM  THE   HARTFORD   COORANT. 

DIED,  in  this  city,  John  Mosely,  an  aged  colored 
man,  well  known  for  his  industry,  prudence,  and 
integrity.  Having  no  relations,  he  devoted  his 
property  to  charitable  objects.  By  his  will,  he 
gave  to  the  Hartford  Female  Beneficent  Society, 
100  dollars;  to  the  American  Colonization  Society, 


298  NANCY    PITCHFORD. 

200  dollars;  to  the  Connecticut  Bible  Society, 
100  dollars;  to  the  American  Education  Society, 
100  dollars ;  and  after  other  legacies,  the  residue 
of  his  estate  to  the  Domestic  Missionary  Society 
of  Connecticut. 


NANCY  PITCHFORD, 

A  WOMAN  of  color,  died  in  1824,  at  Hartford, 
Connecticut,  aged  67  years.  For  the  first  forty 
years  of  her  life  she  was  a  slave.  She  sustained 
an  excellent  character,  was  for  many  years  a  pro 
fessor  of  religion,  and  gave  satisfactory  evidence 
of  sincere  and  lively  piety.  At  the  time  of  her 
death,  she  had  acquired  by  her  industry  and  care, 
more  than  four  hundred  dollars,  the  whole  of 
which,  after  paying  the  expenses  of  her  last  sick 
ness  and  funeral,  she  left  by  will  to  charitable  pur 
poses. 


/ 


top:  asoi 


X7ILLIAM   fcOWEN.  293 


GRATITUDE  OF  A  SLAVE. 

CAPTAIN  SUDBURY,  of  the  English  navy,  lately 
received  a  consignment  of  gold  dust,  valued  at 
13,000?.,  (over  60,000  dollars,)  from  the  Slave 
Coast  of  Africa,  as  a  present  from  one  of  the  native 
princes,  whom  he  had  freed  from  slavery,  among  a 
whole  cargo  of  slaves  which  he  had  captured.  The 
name  of  the  prince  is  pronounced  Corkboot, 


WILLIAM  BOWEN, 

DIED,  near  Mount  Holly,  New  Jersey,  12th  of 
Sixth  month,  1824,  in  the  90th  year  of  his  age, 
William  Bowen,  a  man  of  color.  The  deceased 
was  one  of  those  who  have  demonstrated  the  truth 
of  that  portion  of  Scripture,  that  "  in  every  nation, 
he  that  feareth  God  and  worketh  righteousnesses 
accepted  with  him." 

2.  He  was  concerned  in  early  life  to  do  justly, 
love  mercy,  and  walk  humbly  with  his  God ;  and 
by  closely  attending  to  the  light  of  Christ,  and 
faithfully  abiding  under  the  operation  of  that  bless 
ed  spirit  of  Divine  Grace  in  his  soul,  he  was  ena 
bled  not  only  to  bear  many  precious  testimonies, 


300  EPITAPH. 

through  his  life,  but  to  bring  forth  those  fruits  of 
the  Spirit,  which  redound  to  the  glory  of  God,  and 
to  the  salvation  of  the  soul. 

3.  He  was  an  exemplary  member  of  the  reli 
gious  Society  of  Friends.  As  he  lived,  so  he  died, 
a  rare  pattern  of  a  self-denying  follower  of  Jesus 
Christ.  He  had  no  apparent  disease  either  of 
body  or  mind ;  and  as  he  expressed  himself,  but  a 
short  time  before  his  death,  "  he  felt  nothing  but 
weakness,"  which  continued  to  increase  until  he 
gently  breathed  his  last,  and  no  doubt  entered  into 
his  Heavenly  Father's  rest.  "  Mark  the  perfect 
man,  and  behold  the  upright,  for  the  end  of  that 
man  is  peace." 


EPITAPH. 

The   following   epitaph  on  a  colored  person,  is  copied  from  a 
tombstone,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Providence. 

J.   HERE  lies  the  best  of  slaves, 
All  crumbling  into  dust  j 
Cesar  the  Ethiopian3  craves 
A  place  among  the  just. 

_ 
2.    His  faithful  soul  has  fled, 

To  realms  of  heavenly  light, 
And  by  the  blood  that  Jesus  shed, 
He's  changed  from  black  to  white. 


ANTHONY    BENEZET.  301 


ANTHONY  BENEZET. 

DIED,  on  the  3d  of  Fifth  month,  1784,  Anthony 
Benezet,  aged  71  years,  a  member  of  the  Society 
of  Friends.  It  was  a  day  of  sorrow.  The  afflicted 
widow,  the  unprotected  orphan,  and  the  poor  of  all 
descriptions,  had  lost  the  sympathetic  mind  of 
Benezet.  Society  lamented  the  extinguishment  of 
the  brilliant  light  of  his  philanthropy. 

2.  The  wandering  tribes  in  the  American  wil 
derness,  and  the  oppressed  Africans,  were  indeed 
bereft ;  for  his  willing  pen  and  tongue  had  ceased 
for  ever  to  portray  the  history  of  their  injuries,  or 
plead  for  the  establishment  of  their  rights,  before 
the  sons  of  men. 

3.  At  the  interment  of  his  remains,  in  Friends' 
burial    ground  in  Philadelphia,  was  the  greatest 
concourse  of  people  that  had  ever  been  witnessed 
on  such   an  occasion  ;  being   a   collection   of  all 
ranks  and  professions  among  the  inhabitants  ;  thus 
manifesting  the  universal  esteem  in  which  he  was 
held. 

4.  Among  others  who  paid  that  last  tribute  of 
respect,  were  many  hundred  black  people,  testify 
ing,  by  their  attendance,  and    by  their  tears,  the 
grateful  sense  they  entertained  of  his  pious  effort* 
in  their  behalf.     Having  no  children,  by  his  will 
he  bequeathed  his  estate  to  his  wife  during  her 

26 


302  ANTHONY   BENEZET 

natural  life.     At  her  decease,  he  directed  several 
small  sums  to  be  paid  to  poor  and  obscure  persons. 

5.  The  residue  he  devised  in  trust  to  the  over 
seers  of  the  public  school,  *'  to  hire  and  employ  a 
religious-minded    person    or  persons,  to  teach  a 
number  of  negro,  mulatto,  or  Indian  children  to 
read,    write,  arithmetic,   plain    accounts,   needle 
work,  &c.    And  it  is  my  particular  desire,  founded 
on  the  experience  I  have  had  in  that  service,  that, 
in  the  choice  of  such  tutor,  special  care  may  be 
taken  to  prefer  an   industrious,  careful  person,  of 
true  piety,  who  may  be  or  become  suitably  quali 
fied,  who  would  undertake  the  service  from  a  prin 
ciple  of  charity,  to  one  more  highly  learned  not 
equally  disposed." 

6.  He  also  bequeathed,  as  a  special  legacy,  the 
sum  of  fifty  pounds,  to  the  society  in  Pennsylva 
nia  for  the  promotion  of  the  abolition  of  slavery. 
Thus  closed  the  life  of  this  great  and  good  man. 
Dispensing  his  blessings  with  his  own   hand,  he 
was  too  liberal  to  be  a  man  of  wealth.    He  was 
a  native  of  France ;  and  in  the  ancient  records  ot 
his  family  are    exhibited  evidences    of   religious 
character  in  his  predecessors. 

7.  Connected  with   the   demise  of   his  grand 
father,  the  event  is  said  to  be,  "  to  the  great  afflic 
tion  of  his  children,  and  the  universal  regret  of  his 
relatives  and  friends,  for  he  was  a  model  of  virtue 
and  purity,  and  lived  in  the  constant  fear  of  God." 
Attached  to  the  birth  note  of  his  grandson  Antho- 


ANTHONY    BENEZET.  303 

ny,  are  these  expressions  :  "  May  God  bless  him, 
in  making  him  a  partaker  of  his  mercies."  Though 
virtue  is  not  hereditary,  it  must  be  admitted  that 
example  is  powerful. 

8.  Among  the  productions  of  Anthony  Benezet's 
pen,  was,  "  An  historical  account  of  Guinea,  its 
situation,  produce,  and  the  general  disposition  of  its 
inhabitants  ;  with  an  inquiry  into  the  rise  and  pro 
gress  of  the  slave  trade,  its  nature,  and  calamitous 
effects." 

Note  from  the  Memoirs  of  A.  Benezet. 

9.  The  influence  of  this  work,  in  giving  an  im 
pulse  to  the  mind  of  the  indefatigable  and  benevolent 
Thomas  Clarkson,  whose  exertions  contributed  so 
much  toward  bringing  about  the  abolition  of  the 
slave  trade  by  the  British  parliament,  is  certainly 
remarkable.    In  the  year  1785,  Dr.  Peckard,  vice- 
chancellor  of  the  University  of  Cambridge,  pro 
posed  to  the  senior  Bachelors  of  Arts,  of  whom 
Clarkson  was  one,  the  following  question  for  a 
Latin  dissertation  :  viz.  (in  English,)  "  Is  it  right 
to  make  slaves  of  others  against  their  will  ?" 

10.  Having  in  the  former  year  gained  a  prize 
for  the  best  Latin  dissertation,  he  resolved  to  main 
tain  the  classical  reputation  he  had  acquired,  by 
applying  himself  to  the  subject;  but  it  was  one 
with  which  he  was  by  no  means  familiar,  and  he 
was  at  a  loss  what  authors  to  consult  respecting  it; 
"  when,  going  by  accident"  he  says, "  into  a  friend's 


304  THOMAS    SHIPLEY, 

house,  I  took  up  a  newspaper  then  lying  on  the 
table. 

11.  "One  of  the  articles  which  attracted  ray 
notice,  was  an  advertisement  of  Anthony  Benezet's 
historical  account  of  Guinea.  I  soon  left  my  friend 
and  his  paper,  and,  to  lose  no  time,  hastened  to 
London  to  buy  it.  In  this  precious  book  I  found 
almost  all  I  wanted."  The  information  furnished 
by  Benezet's  book  encouraged  him  to  complete  his 
essay,  which  was  rewarded  with  the  first  prize ; 
and  from  that  moment,  Clarkson's  mind  became 
interested  with  the  great  subject  of  the  abolition. 


THOMAS    SHIPLEY. 

DIED,  in  Philadelphia,  on  Seventhday  morning, 
17th  of  Ninth  month,  1836,  after  a  short  illness, 
Thomas  Shipley,  in  the  49th  year  of  his  age.  He 
had  been  for  many  years  distinguished  for  benevo 
lent  and  untiring  exertions  in  befriending  the  Afri 
can  race,  and  was  followed  to  the  grave  by  more 
than  a  thousand  colored  persons,  male  and  female, 
— a  spontaneous  demonstration  of  their  sense  of 
gratitude. 


GOVERNOR    RITNER'S    MESSAGE.  305 


GOVERNOR  RITNER'S  MESSAGE 

TO  THE  LEGISLATURE  OF  PENNSYLVANIA  IN  1836. 

FROM  "THE  FRIEND." 

ONE  part  of  it,  that  in  regard  to  slavery  and  the 
applications  of  several  of  the  slave-holding  states 
for  legislative  action  thereon,  is  so  honorable  to 
himself,  and  so  fully  in  accordance  with  the  atti 
tude  becoming  the  state  of  Pennsylvania  in  rela 
tion  to  this  matter,  that  we  must  not  withhold  an 
extract  from  it.  After  reference  to  the  statute 
book  and  journals  of  the  legislature  for  repeated 
acts  and  declarations  on  the  subject?  from  1780  to 
the  present  time,  he  thus  continues: — 

2.  "  Not  only  has  Pennsylvania  thus  expelled 
the  evil  from  her  own  borders,  but  she  has,  on  all 
proper  occasions,  endeavored  to  guard  her  younger 
sisters  from  the  pollution.     On  the  19th   of  De 
cember,  1819,  the  following  language  was  unan 
imously  made  use   of  by  the  legislature,  and  ap 
proved  by  the  governor,  on  the  question  of  admit 
ting  new  states  into  the   Union,  with  the  right  of 
holding  slaves : — 

3.  "  '  That  the  senators  and  representatives  of  this 
state,  in  the  congress  of  the  United  States,  be,  and 
they  are  hereby  requested  to  vote  against  the  ad 
mission  of  any  territory  as  a  state  into  the  Union, 

26* 


306  GOVERNOR   RITNER'S    MESSAGE. 

unless  the  further  introduction  of  slavery  or  invol 
untary  servitude,  (except  for  the  punishment  of 
crimes,  whereof  the  party  shall  have  been  duly 
convicted,)  shall  be  prohibited;  and  all  children 
born  within  the  said  territory,  after  its  admission 
into  the  Union  as  a  state,  shall  be  free,  but  may  be 
held  to  service  until  the  age  of  twenty-five  years/ 
The  preamble  to  this  resolution,  too  long  to  be  re 
cited  at  large,  is  worthy  of  all  consideration  at  the 
present  juncture. 

4.  "  On  the  much  discussed  question  of  slavery 
in  the  District  of  Columbia,  there  never  has  been 
any  thing  like  hesitation.      On  the  23d  of  Jan 
uary,  1819,  the  legislature  passed  a  resolution  in 
structing  our  representatives  in  congress  to  advo 
cate  the  passage  of  a  law  for  its  abolition :  and 
the  voice  of  public  opinion,  as  expressed  through 
the  press,  at  meetings,  and  in  petitions,  has  been 
unchanging  on  the  subject. 

5.  "  These  tenets,  then,  viz.,  opposition  to  sla 
very  at  home,  which,  by  the  blessing  of  Provi 
dence,  has  been  rendered  effectual, — opposition  to 
the  admission  into  the  Union  of  new  slave-holding 
states, — and  opposition  to  slavery  in  the  District 
of  Columbia,  the  very  hearth  and  domestic  abode 
of  the  national  honor, — have  ever  been,  and  are 
the  cherished  doctrines  of  our  state.     Let  us,  fel 
low-citizens,  stand  by  and  maintain  them  unshrink 
ingly  and  fearlessly.     While  we  admit  and  scrupu 
lously  respect  the   constitutional  rights   of  other 


GOVERNOR  RITNER'S  MESSAGE.  307 

stales,  on  this  momentous  subject,  let  us  not,  either 
by  fear  or  interest,  be  driven  f,om  aught  of  that 
spirit  of  independence,  and  veneration  for  freedom, 
which  has  ever  characterized  our  beloved  com 
monwealth. 

6.  "  Above  all,  let  us  never  yield  up  the  right  of 
the  free  discussion  of  any  evil  which  may  arise  in 
the  land,  or  any  part  of  it ;  convinced  that  the  mo 
ment  we  do  so,  the  bond  of  union  is  broken.  For, 
the  union  being  a  voluntary  compact  to  continue 
together  for  certain  specified  purposes,  the  instant 
one  portion  of  it  succeeds  in  imposing  terms  and 
dictating  conditions  upon  another,  not  found  in  the 
contract,  the  relation  between  them  changes,  and 
that  which  was  union  becomes  subjection." 


308  AN    AFFECTING    STORY. 


AN  AFFECTING  STORY. 

FROM   ZION'S    HERALD. 

WE  copy  the  following  story  from  the  Western 
Christian  Advocate.  The  statement  was  made  by 
a  Methodist  local  preacher.  A  pious  negro  who 
was  converted  through  his  instrumentality,  was 
present  and  heard  the  relation,  and  repeated  it  to 
the  correspondent  of  the  above-mentioned  paper. 
The  writer  has  seen  others  who  knew  Jack,  and 
he  believes  the  narrative  may  be  relied  on  as  one 
of  truth.  We  give  it  a  conspicuous  place,  as  it 
most  evidently  deserves  it. 

2.  "  When  I  was  a  lad,"  (said  Jack,  in  his  ser 
mon,)  "  there  were  no  religious  people  in  the 
neighborhood  where  I  lived.  But  I  had  a  young 
master  about  my  own  age,  who  was  going  to 
school,  and  he  was  very  fond  of  me.  At  night,  he 
would  come  into  the  kitchen  to  teach  me  the  les 
sons  he  had  learned  himself  during  the  day  at 
school.  In  this  way  I  learned  to  read.  When  I 
was  well  nigh  grown  up,  we  took  the  New  Testa 
ment,  and  agreed  to  read  it  through,  verse  by 
verse ;  and  when  one  would  make  any  mistake, 
the  other  was  to  correct  him,  for  the  purpose  of 
learning  to  read  well.  In  a  short  time,  we  both 
became  sensible  that  we  were  sinners  before  God, 
and  jointly  agreed  to  seek  the  salvation  of  our  souls. 


AN    AFFECTING    STORY.  309 

3.  "  The   Lord  heard  our  mutual  prayer,  and 
gave  us  both  religion,  and  I  commenced  holding 
meetings   for  prayer  and  exhortation,  among  the 
black  people  in  the  neighborhood.     My  old  master 
soon  found  out  what  was  going  on,  and  was  very 
angr£,  especially  on  account  of  his   son's  having 
become  religious ;  and  he  forbade  me  holding  any 
more  meetings,   saying  that   if  I  did,   he  would 
chastise  me  severely  for  it.     From  that  time,  how 
ever,  I  continued  to  preach  or  exhort  on  Sabbaths, 
and  Sabbath  nights,  and  on  Monday  morning  my 
old  master  would  tie  me  up,  and  cut  my  back  to 
pieces  with  the  cowhide  ;  so  that  it  never  had  time 
to  get  well ;  and  I  was   obliged  to  perform  my 
work  in  a  great  deal  of  pain  from  day  to  day. 

4.  "  This  state  of  things  continued  nearly  eigh 
teen  months,  when,  on  one  Monday  morning,  my 
master,  as  usual,  had  made  my  fellow-slaves  bind 
me  to  a  shade  tree  in  the  yard,  after  stripping  my 
back  naked,  to  receive   the  cowhide.      It  was  a 
beautiful  morning  in  summer  time,  and  the  sun 
shone  exceedingly  bright,  and  every  thing  around 
appeared  very  pleasant.     He  approached  me  with 
cool  deliberation,  took  his  stand,  and  surveyed  me 
narrowly,  but  the  cowhide  hung  motionless  at  his 
side.     It  was  an  eventful  moment  in  the  history  of 
his  life, — when  conscience  triumphed  over  the  ma 
lignant  spirit  of  a  persecuting  tyrant. 

5.  " f  Well,  Jack,  your  back  is  all  covered  with 
scars  and  sores,  and  I  see  no  place  to  begin  to 


310  AN    AFFECTING    STORY. 

\vhip.  lrou  incorrigible  wretch,  how  long  do  you 
intend  to  go  on  in  this  way  V  'Why,  master,  just 
so  long  as  the  Lord  will  let  me  live,'  was  my  re 
ply.  '  Well,  what  is  your  design  in  it  T  l  Why, 
in  the  morning  of  the  resurrection,  when  my  poor 
body  shall  rise  from  the  grave,  I  intend  to  show 
these  scars  to  my  heavenly  Master,  as  so  many 
witnesses  of  my  faithfulness  in  his  cause  here 
upon  earth.'  He  ordered  me  to  be  untied,  and 
sent  me  to  hoe  corn  in  the  field. 

6.  "  Late  in  the  evening,  he  came  along,  pulling 
up  a  weed  here  and  a  weed  there,  till  he  got  to 
me  and  told  me  to  sit  down.     *  Jack,'  said  he,  *  I 
want  you  to  tell  me  the  truth  honestly.     You  know 
for  a  long  time  you  have  been  constantly  sore  from 
the  cowhide,  and  had  to  work  very  hard,  and  are  a 
poor  slave ;  now  tell  me,  are  you  happy,  or  are 
you  not,  under  such  afflictions  as  these  ?'     '  Yes, 
master,  I  believe  I  am  as  happy  a  man  as  there  is 
on  earth.'     '  Well,  Jack,  I  am  not  happy.     Your 
religion,  you  say,  teaches  you  to  pray  for  those 
who  persecute  you.     Now  will  you  pray  for  your 
old   master,   Jack  ?'     *  Yes,   with   all   my    heart,' 
said  I. 

7.  "  We  kneeled  down,  and  I  prayed  for  him. 
He  came  again  and  again  to  me,  and  I  prayed  for 
him  in  the  field,  till  he  found  peace  in  the  blood  of 
the   Lamb.      We   afterward   lived   together   like 
brothers  in  the  same  church,  and  on  his  deathbed, 
he  gave  me  my  liberty,  and  told  me  to  go  on 


SLAVE    TRADE.  311 

preaching  as  long  as  I  lived,  and  meet  him  at  last 
in  heaven.  I  have  seen  many  Christians  I  loved, 
but  I  have  never  seen  any  I  loved  so  well  as  my 
old  master,  and  I  have  no  doubt  I  shall  meet  him 
in  heaven. 


SLAVE  TRADE. 

PROM  THE  ALBANY  DAILY  ADVERTISER. 

ACCOUNTS  from  Mantanzas  state  that  the  slave- 
trade  still  prevails  to  a  great  extent  in  the  West 
Indies  ;  that  many  ships  from  the  United  States 
are  sold  at  that  place,  for  the  purpose  of  being  sent 
to  the  Slave  Coast  of  Africa  ;  that  there  is  an  an 
chorage  ground  near  that  place,  where  the  cargoes 
of  human  beings  are  landed,  and  driven  into  mar 
ket  like  cattle. 

2.  Those  engaged  in  this  inhuman  trade  may 
depend  that 

"  The  hour  is  approaching, — a  terrible  hour, 
And  Vengeance  is  bending  her  bow." 

The  wealth  gained  by  "  the  agony  and  bloody 
sweat"  of  the  poor  Africans,  who  are  stolen  from 
their  homes,  will  never  prosper; — the  curse  of 
heaven  will  be  on  it ! 


312  SARAH    HOAR. 


SARAH  HOAR. 

DIED,  in  Philadelphia,  about  the  middle  of  the 
summer  of  1824,  Sarah  Hoar,  a  woman  of  color. 
In  1817,  she  went  to  a  house  in  that  city  to  ask 
for  cold  provision,  and  the  people,  seeing  her  much 
afflicted,  supplied  her  with  food.  She  afterward 
came  frequently,  and  feeling  desirous  to  know 
more  of  her  situation  and  history,  they  made  her  a 
visit,  arid  found  her  statement  of  circumstances 
correct,  and  were  encouraged  to  assist  her. 

2.  She  was  afflicted  with  a  cancer  in  her  face, 
which  had  so  disfigured  her  by  its  ravages,  as  to 
make  it  necessary  to  have  it   covered.     In   their 
frequent  visits,  they   generally  found  her  suffering 
with   severe   pain ;    and   the  disorder   increasing, 
swallowing  became  difficult,  and  in  time,  her  eyes 
were  so  affected  that  she  became  entirely  blind. 

3.  Inquiry  was  made  whether  she  had  a  doctor. 
She  said  she  had  had  a  number,  but  none  of  them 
could  cure  her.      A  doctor  who   lived   near  had 
been  very  kind  to  her ;  he  washed  and  dressed  her 
face  twice  a  day,  and  gave  her  medicine,  and  did 
not  charge  her  any  thing  for  it,  though  he  was  a 
poor  man. 

4.  On  making  the  doctor  and  his  wife  a  visit, 
the  wife  said  her  husband  sometimes  scanted  his 
own  family,  to  give  to  this  poor  suffering  woman 


SARAH    HOAR.  313 

And  the  doctor  said  he  believed  her  to  be  a  good 
woman,  and  it  was  for  Christ's  sake  that  he  took 
care  of  her,  and  that  he  was  kind  to  her  because 
he  thought  it  his  duty  ;  and  several  times  repeated, 
with  tears  in  his  eyes,  he  believed  when  she  died 
she  would  go  to  heaven. 

5.  When  some  of  the  family  went  to  see  her  in 
extremely  cold  weather,  they  found  the   only  cov 
ering  to  her  bed  was  a  few  old  rags  ;  yet  of  this 
she  had  not  complained,  and  they  would  not  have 
known  it,  but  for  going  into  her  lodging  room  to 
see  what  she  stood  in  need  of.     She  said,  some 
times  in  the  night  her  sufferings  were  so  great 
that  she  could  not  sleep,  and  she  had  got  up  and 
prayed  to   God  for  relief,   after  which  the   pain 
abated  so  that  she  could  lie  down  and  sleep. 

6.  A  subscription  was  raised  to  pay  her  board, 
and  the  persons  of  her  own  color,  with  whom  she 
was  placed,  were  glad  to  take  care--  of  her,  and 
showed  her  much  kindness  ;  and  of  the  great  num 
ber  who  visited  her,  we  never  heard  any  speak  a 
word  to  her  disadvantage,  but  on  the  contrary,  they 
often  said  she  was  a  good  woman,  and  bore  an 
excellent  character. 

7.  After  the  disease   had  affected  her  eyes  so 
that  she  could  not  see  those  who  came  in,  a  young 
woman  who  frequently  visited  her,  says,  "  When 
I   spoke,   she  immediately  knew    my  voice,    and 
always  shook    my  hand  in  the  most  affectionate 

manner  possible,  telling  me  how  glad  she  was  that 
27 


3!4  SARAH    HOAR. 

I  came  to  see  her ;  and  then  making  grateful  in 
quiries  about  those  persons  who  so  kindly  contrib 
uted  to  her  support. 

8.  "  The  doctor  told  me  he  sometimes  found 
her  on  her  knees  praying,  and  as  she  could  not 
see  him,  and  he  was  unwilling  to  disturb  her,  he 
generally  waited  quietly  until  she  had  finished, 
without  her  knowing  that  he  was  there. 

9.  "  Many  nights  toward  the  last,  her  sufferings 
were  so  extreme  that  she  could  not  even  lie  down 
to  sleep  ;  and  yet,  in  all  her  troubles,  she  seemed 
grateful  for  the  blessings   she  received,  and  I  do 
not  recollect  that  I  ever  heard  her  speak  in  a  dis 
satisfied  manner. 

10.  "  Her   children  were  worthless   creatures, 
and  in  her  greatest  affliction   they  deserted  her. 
This,  though  a  source  of  trouble  to  her,  she  en 
deavored  to   bear  patiently.      I  knew  her  seven 
years.     In  all  that  time  she  was  in  the  situation 
described,  and  had  been  so  a  long  time. 

11.  "  Some  time  having  passed  without  my  see 
ing  her,  one  morning  the  person  with  whom  she 
had  lived,  came  and  told  us  she  was  dead.     About 
four  o'clock  that  morning,  she  appeared  as  well  as 
common,  when  the  family  heard  her  at  prayer,  ac 
cording  to  her  usual  custom.     At  breakfast,  she 
seemed  a  little  unwell,  and  had  lost  her  appetite. 

12.  "  They  sent  for  the  doctor,  who,  when  he 
came  and  saw  her,  said  she  was  dying,  and  soon 
after  she  breathed  her  last ;  and  I  firmly  believs 


BLESSED    FEELINGS.  315 

she  has  gone  to  a  place  of  rest,  where  she  will 
receive  a  reward  for  her  long-continued  patience, 
during  the  many  years  of  suffering  allotted  her. 
Let  the  reader  of  these  few  lines  remember  that 
God  sees  us  in  all  our  afflictions,  and  will  comfort 
all  who  act  correctly,  and  endeavor  to  keep  the 
word  of  his  patience." 


ylclgi*!    A" 


BLESSED  FEELINGS  FROM  AN  ACT  OP 
JUSTICE. 

FROM   THE    GENIUS    OF   UNIVERSAL   EMANCIPATION. 

IT  may  be  recollected  that  the  family  of  slaves 
belonging  to  David  Patterson,  of  North  Carolina, 
were  sent  to  Hayti  a  short  time  ago.  This  family 
consisted  of  an  elderly  woman,  her  six  children, 
and  four  grandchildren.  They  were  recommend 
ed  to  the  special  notice  of  President  Boyer,  and 
received  his  particular  attention. 

2.  The  following  letter  was  received  just  as  this 
paper  was  going  to  press  :  — 

"Port  au  Prince,  April  12/ft,  1825. 

"  SIR,  —  With  pleasure  I  embrace  this  favorable 
opportunity  to  write  to  you,  to  inform  you  that  we 
have  arrived  safe,  and  are  all  well.  We  have  been 
kindly  received,  and  are  doing  tolerably  well  at 
present,  on  the  president's  plantation.  We  are  all 


816  BLESSED    FEELINGS. 

satisfied,  for  the  present,  except  Adam.  Please  to 
write  to  our  people,  and  direct  them  to  send  their 
letters  to  you ;  and  please,  when  you  receiv6  them, 
send  them  to  us.  When  you  write,  we  all  wish 
our  particular  respects  presented  to  them. 
"  Your  humble  servant, 

"  MARGARET  PATTERSON 
"MR.  B.  LUNDY." 

3.  A   highly   esteemed   female    correspondent 
speaking  of  the  recent  benevolent  conduct  of  David 
Patterson,  stated  that  she  visited  his  dwelling  on 
the  day  when  his  slaves  set  out  for  Baltimore,  and 
gave  the  following  account  of  the  solemn  parting. 

4.  "  The  impressive  scene  was  now  about  to  be 
closed.     Solemn  concern  rested  on  the  face  of  the 
mistress,  at  parting  with  those  to  whom  her  foster 
ing  care  had  contributed  so  much.     I  saw  the  lib 
erated  captive  receive  her  hand  with  sobs  and  tears ; 
and  I  must  confess  that  my  own  eyes  could  scarce 
ly  retain  or  reabsorb  the  crystal  treasure,  forced 
from  its  cell  by  this  act  of  justice. 

5.  "  Seriousness  pervaded  the  countenances  of 
many  spectators.     The  master,  after  taking  a  sol 
emn  leave,  walked  into  his  house  with  a  cheerful 
mien  (blessed  were  his  feelings  !)  that  seemed  to 
say,  '  I  have  washed  my  hands  in  innocence,  and. 
can  now  sit  down  under  my  own  vine  in  peace.' " 

6.  This  worthy  couple  have  long  been  members 
of  the  Baptist  Society ;  and  often  said  they  could 


EXTRAORDINARY    MUNIFICENCE.  317 

not  rest  easy  until  something  should  be  done  for 
the  enlargement  of  their  slaves.  May  we  not  in 
dulge  the  hope  that  this  is  a  "  breaking  of  the  ice" 
in  this  frozen  state  ?  Or  must  we  stand  chilled, 
and  look  in  vain  for  another  couple,  that  shall  come 
under  the  refining  power  of  truth,  and  go  and  do 
likewise  ? 


EXTRAORDINARY  MUNIFICENCE. 

FROM    THE    GENIU3    OF   UNIVERSAL   EMANCIPATION— ''825. 

A  PARAGRAPH  has  lately  gone  the  round  of  the 
papers,  announcing  that  a  gentleman  of  Virginia 
had  emancipated  upward  of  eighty  slaves,  and 
chartered  a  vessel  to  send  them  at  his  own  expense 
to  Hayti,  but  without  giving  the  name  of  the  au 
thor  of  so  distinguished  an  act  of  munificence. 

2.  We  think  it  due  to  justice,  says  the  Norfolk 
Herald,  to  supply  this  deficiency,  and   to  add  the 
following  facts,  which  have  been  communicated  to 
us  by  gentlemen  familiar  with  them,  as  well  as 
by  Captain  Russell,  one  of  the  owners  of  the  brig 
Hannah  and  Elizabeth,  of   Baltimore,  the  vessel 
chartered. 

3.  The  gentleman  who  has  thus  distinguished 
himself,   is   Mr.   David   Minge,   of   Charles   City 

county,  living  near  Sandy  Point,  on  James  River. 

27* 


318  EXTRAORDINARY    MUNIFICENCE. 

Captain  Russell  informs,  that  there  were  put  on 
board  the  Hannah  and  Elizabeth,  eighty-seven  col 
ored  people  of  different  ages,  from  three  months  to 
forty  years,  being  all  the  slaves  Mr.  Minge  owned, 
except  two  old  men,  whom  he  had  likewise  manu 
mitted,  but  who  being  past  service,  he  retains  and 
supports  them. 

4.  The  value  of  these  negroes,  at  the  prices  now 
going,  might   be   estimated   at   about   twenty-six 
thousand  dollars  !  and   Mr.  Minge  expended,  pre 
vious  to  their  embarkation,  about  twelve  hundred 
dollars  in  purchasing  ploughs,  hoes,  iron,  and  other 
articles  of  husbandry  for  them ;  besides  providing 
them  with  several  suits  of  clothes  to  each ;  provis 
ions,  groceries,  cooking  utensils ;  and  every  thing 
which  he  supposed  they  might  require  for  their 
comfort  during  the  passage,  and  for  their  use  after 
their  arrival  out.     He  also  paid  sixteen  hundred 
dollars  for  the  charter  of  the  vessel. 

5.  But  Mr.  Minge's  munificence  does  not  end 
here.     On  the  bank  of  the  river,  as  they  were  about 
to  go  on  board,  he  had  a  peck  of  dollars  brought 
down,  and  calling  them  around  him,  under  a  tree, 
he  distributed  the  hoard  among  them,  in  such  sums, 
and  under  such  regulations,  that  each  individual 
did,  or  would,  receive  seven  dollars. 

6.  By  this  provision,  Mr.  Minge  thought  his  em 
igrants  would  be  enabled  to  commence  the  culti 
vation  of  the   soil  immediately  after  their  arrival, 
without  being  dependent  on  President  Boyer  for 


EXTRAORDINARY    MUNIFICENCE.  319 

any  favor  whatever,  unless  the  permission  to  im 
prove  the  government  lands  be  so  considered. 

7.  Mr.  Minge  is  about  twenty-four  or  twenty- 
five  years  of  age,  unmarried,  and  unincumbered 
in  every  respect ;  possesses  an  ample  fortune,  and 
has  received  the  benefits  of  a  collegiate  education 
at   Harvard   University.     He  assigned   no   other 
motive  for  having  freed  his  slaves,  and  for  his  sub 
sequent  acts  of  generosity  toward  them,  than  that 
he  conceived  it  would  be  doing  a  service  to  his 
country  to  send  them  out  of  it ;  that  they  had  been 
good  servants,  but  that  he  was  rich  enough  without 
them. 

8.  We  have  heard  of  splendid  sacrifices  at  the 
shrine  of  philanthropy ;  aged  men,  on  quitting  the 
stage  of  mortal  existence,  have  bequeathed  large 
endowments  to  public  charities,  and  princely  lega 
cies  to  religious  and  moral  institutions.     But  where 
shall  we  find  an  instance  of  the  kind  attributable  to 
a  man  of  Mr,  Minge's  age  ?     The  case  we  believe 
is  without  a  parallel. 

9.  In  addition  to  the  fact  of  the  emancipation  of 
eighty  slaves,  by  Mr.  Minge,  of  Virginia,  the  Rich 
mond   Whig  of  Friday  last,  says,  that   two  in 
stances  of  the  triumph  of  philanthropy  and  patriot 
ism,  over  the  sordid  selfishness  of  our  nature,  caa 
be  recited,  equally  meritorious  and  splendid  as  that 
act  of  distinguished  munificence. 

10.  The   Rev.  Fletcher  Andrew,  an  ordained 
minister  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  re  , 


320  KIDNAPPING. 

ceived  from  the  bounty  of  a  dying  relative,  twenty 
slaves,  at  that  time  valued  at  ten  thousand  dollars. 
Shortly  after  he  attained  the  age  of  twenty-one 
years,  although  they  constituted  nearly  the  whole 
of  his  worldly  property,  this  amiable  and  pious 
man  generously  emancipated  every  one  of  them. 
And  Mr.  Charles  Crenshaw,  a  farmer,  residing  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Richmond,  has  recently  man 
umitted  all  the  slaves  he  owned,  amounting  alto 
gether  to  sixty. 


KIDNAPPING. 

FROM  THE  NEW  YORK  SPECTATOR — 1826. 

THE  Mayor  of  Philadelphia  recently  received  a 
letter  from  Mississippi,  stating  the  arrival  of  a  kid 
napper,  by  the  name  of  Ebenezer  F.  Johnson,  with 
three  negro  boys,  and  one  negro  woman  for  sale — 
the  three  former  having  been  kidnapped  and  stolen 
from  Philadelphia.  The  woman  was  a  slave  taken 
from  Virginia. 

2.  The  boys  have  fallen  into  the  hands  of  a 
humane  protector,  and  will  probably  be  reclaimed. 
The  mode  by  which  they  were  entrapped  was  this. 
A  mulatto  man  engaged  them  singly,  to  help  bring 
melons  on  shore  from  a  sloop ;  and  when  they 
•went  on  board,  they  were  taken  below — seized, 
confined,  and  carried  off. 


TEMPTATION    RESISTED.  321 

TEMPTATION  RESISTED,  AND  HONESTY 
REWARDED. 

FROM  DILLWYN'S  ANECDOTES. 

A  POOR  chimney-sweeper's  boy  was  employed  at 
the  house  of  a  lady  of  rank,  to  sweep  the  chimney 
of  the  room  in  which  she  usually  dressed.  When 
finding  himself  on  the  hearth  of  a  richly  furnished 
dressing-room,  and  perceiving  no  one  there,  he 
waited  a  few  moments  to  take  a  view  of  the  beau 
tiful  things  in  the  apartment. 

2.  A  gold  watch,  richly  set  with  diamonds,  par 
ticularly  caught  his  attention,  and  he  could  not  for 
bear  taking  it  in  his  hand.     Immediately  the  wish 
arose  in  his  mind,  "Ah!  if  thou  hadst  such  a  one  !" 
After  a  pause,  he  said  to  himself,  "  But  if  I  take  it 
I  shall  be  a  thief;  and  yet,"  continued  he,  "  nobody 
would  know  it ;  nobody  sees  me — nobody !  does 
not  God  see  me,  who  is  present  every  where  V9 
Overcome  by  these  thoughts,  a  cold  shivering  seiz 
ed  him.     "  No,"  said  he,  putting  down  the  watch  ; 
"  I  would  much  rather  be  poor,  and  keep  my  good 
conscience,  than  rich,  and  become  a  rascal."     At 
these  words,  he  hastened  back  into  the  chimney. 

3.  The  lady,  who  was  in  the  room  adjoining, 
having  overheard  the  conversation  with  himself, 
sent  for  him  the  next  morning,  and  thus   accosted 
him  :  "  My  little  friend,  why  did  you  not  take  the 


322  TEMPTATION   RESISTED. 

watch  yesterday?"  The  boy  fell  on  his  knees, 
speechless  and  astonished.  "  I  heard  every  thing 
you  said,"  continued  her  ladyship  ;  "  thank  God 
for  enabling  you  to  resist  this  temptation,  and  be 
watchful  over  yourself  for  the  future :  from  this 
moment  you  shall  be  in  my  service  :  I  will  both 
maintain  and  clothe  you:  nay,  more,  procure  you 
good  instruction,  which  will  assist  to  guard  you 
from  the  danger  of  similar  temptations." 

4.  The  boy  burst  into  tears ;  he  was  anxious  to 
express  his  gratitude,  but  could  not.     The  lady 
strictly  kept  her  promise,  and  had  the  pleasure  of 
seeing  this  poor  chimney-sweeper  grow  up  a  good, 
pious,  and  intelligent  man. 

5.  An  Indian,  being  among  his  white  neighbors, 
asked  for  a  little  tobacco  to  smoke,  and  one  of 
them,  having  some  loose  in  his  pocket,  gave  him 
a  handful.     The   day  following,  the  Indian  came 
back,  inquiring  for  the  donor,  saying  he  had  found 
a  quarter  of  a  dollar  among  the  tobacco.     Being 
told  that  as  it  was  given  him  he  might  as  well  keep 
it,  he  answered,  pointing  to  his  breast,  "  I  got  a 
good  man,  and  a  bad  man  here,  and  the  good  man 
say,  '  It  an't  yours ;  you  must  return  it  to  its  own 
er  :*  the  bad  man  say,  '  Why  he  gave  it  you,  and  it  is 
your  own  now  :'  the  good  man  say,  *  That's  not 
right ;  the  tobacco  is  yours,  not  the  money  :'  the 
bad  man  say,  '  Never  mind,  you  got  it,  go  buy 
some  dram :'  the  good  man  say,  '  No,  no,  you  must 


TEMPTATION   RESISTED,  32$ 

not  do  so :'  so  I  don't  know  what  to  do,  and  I  think 
I  go  to  sleep ;  but  the  good  man  and  the  bad  keep 
talking  all  night,  and  trouble  me  ;  and  now  I  bring 
the  money  back  I  feel  good," 

6.  Another  Indian  related,  that  having  got  some 
money,  he  was,  on  his  way  home,  tempted  to  stop 
at  a  tavern  and  buy  some  rum  :  "  Bait,"  said  he, 
pointing  to  his  breast,  "  I  have  a  good  boy,  and  a 
bad  boy  here ;  and  the  good  boy  say,  *  John,  don^t 
you  stop  there :'  the  bad  one  say,  *  Poh !  John, 
never  mind,  you  love  a  good  dram  :'  the  good  boy 
say,  *  No,  John,  you  know  what  a,  fool  you  made 
yourself  when  you  got  drunk  there  before,  don't  do 
so  again.'  When  I  come  to  the  tavern,  the  bad 
boy  say,  *  Come,  John,  take  one  dram ;  it  won't 
hurt  you  i1  the  good  one  say,  *  No,  John,  if  you 
take  one  dram,  then  you  take  another :'  then  I 
don't  know  what  to  do,  and  the  good  boy  say, 
*  Run,  John,  hard  as  you  can' — so  I  run  away  ', 
ind  then,  be  sure,  I  feel  very  glad," 


324  THE    GOOD    OLD   INDIAN. 


.      .  :U7HW 

THE  GOOD  OLD  INDIAN. 

CAPTAIN  James  Smith  relates,  that  he  was  taken 
prisoner  by  the  Indians  in  the  year  1755,  and  lived 
several  years  among  them.  At  one  time,  he  lived 
with  an  old  man  named  Tecaughretanego,  and  his 
little  son,  Nunganny ;  they  were  quite  alone,  and 
there  were  not  any  inhabitants  for  many  miles 
around.  The  old  man  was  too  lame  to  go  out  a 
hunting  ;  it  was  winter ;  they  had  no  victuals ;  the 
snow  was  on  the  ground,  and  so  frozen,  as  to  make 
a  great  noise  when  walked  on,  which  frightened 
away  the  deer,  and  the  captain  could  not  shoot  any 
thing  for  some  time. 

2.  He  says,  "  After  I  had   hunted   two   days 
without  eating  any  thing,  and  had  very  short  allow 
ance  for  some  days  before,  I  returned  late  in  the 
evening,  faint  and  weary.     When  I  came  into  our 
hut,  the  old  man  asked  what  success.     I  told  him 
not  any.     He  asked  me  if  I  was  not  very  hungry. 
I  replied,  that  the  keen  appetite  seemed  in  some 
measure  abated,  but  I  was  both  faint  and  weary. 

3.  "  He  commanded  his  little  son  to  bring  me 
something  to  eat ;  and  he  brought  me  a  kettle  with 
some  bones  and  broth.     After  eating  a  few  mouth- 
fuls,  my  appetite  violently  returned,  and  I  thought 
the  victuals  had  a  most  agreeable  relish,  though  it 
was  only  fox  and  wildcat  bones,  which  lay  about 


THE    GOOD   OLD    INDIAN.  325 

the  ground,  which  the  ravens  and  turkey  buzzards 
had  picked ;  these  Nunganny  had  collected,  and 
boiled  until  the  sinews  that  remained  on  them, 
would  strip  off.  I  speedily  finished  my  allowance  ; 
and  vhen  I  had  ended  my  sweet  repast,  the  old 
man  asked  me  how  I  felt.  I  told  him  I  was  much 
'refreshed. 

4  "  He  then  handed  me  his  pipe  and  pouch,  and 
told  me  to  take  a  good  smoke.  I  did  so.  He  then 
said  he  had  something  of  importance  to  tell  me,  if 
I  was  now  composed  and  ready  to  hear  it.  I  told 
him  I  was  ready  to  hear  him.  He  said,  'The 
reason  why  I  deferred  my  speech  till  now,  is,  be 
cause  few  men  are  in  a  right  humor  to  hear  good 
talk  when  they  are  very  hungry,  as  they  are  then 
generally  fretful  and  discomposed;  but  as  you  now 
appear  to  enjoy  calmness  and  serenity  of  mind,  I 
will  communicate  to  you  the  thoughts  of  my  heart, 
and  those  things  I  know  to  be  true. 

5.  "  '  Brother,  as  you  have  lived  with  the  white 
people,  you  have  not  had  the  same  advantage  of 
knowing  that  the  great  Being  above  feeds  his 
people,  and  gives  them  their  meat  in  due  season, 
as  we  Indians  have,  who  are  frequently  out  of  pro 
visions,  and  yet  are  wonderfully  supplied,  and  that 
so  frequently,  that  it  is  evidently  the  hand  of  the 
Great  Spirit  that  does  this  :  whereas,  the  white 
people  have  commonly  large  stocks  of  tame  cattle, 
that  they  can  kill  when  they  please ;  and  they  also 
have  barns  and  cribs,  filled  with  grain,  and  there- 
28 


326  THE    GOOD   OLD   INDIAN. 

fore  nave  not  the  same  opportunity  of  seeing  that 
they  are  supported  by  the  Ruler  of  heaven  and 
earth. 

6.  "  l  Brother,  I  know  you  are  now  afraid  that  we 
will  all  perish  with  hunger,  but  you  have  no  just 
reason  to  fear  this.     I  have  been  young,  but  I  am 
now  old.     I  have  been  frequently  under  the  like 
circumstances  that  we  now  are,  and  some  time  or 
another,  in  almost  every  year  of  my  life ;  yet  I 
have  hitherto  been  supported,  and  my  wants  sup 
plied  in  time  of  need. 

7.  "  '  Brother,  the  Good  Spirit  sometimes  suffers 
us  to  be  in  want,  in  order  to  teach  us  our  depend- 
ance  on  him,  and  to  let  us  know  that  we  are  to  love 
and  serve  him ;  likewise  to  know  the  worth  of  the 
favors  that  we  receive,  and  also  to  make  us  thank 
ful. 

8.  "  '  Brother,  be  assured  that  you  will  be  sup 
plied  with  food,  and  that  just  in  the  right  time  :  but 
you  must  continue  diligent  in  the  use  of  means  : 
go  to  sleep,  and  rise  early  in  the  morning,  and  go 
a  hunting — be    strong,  and  exert  yourself  like  a 
man,  and  the  Great  Spirit  will  direct  your  way."* 

9.  The  captain  was  thus  encouraged  to  try 
again  the  next  morning,  though  much  disheartened 
and  extremely  hungry.  He  went  a  great  distance 
before  he  could  shoot  any  thing ;  but  at  length  he 
shot  a  buffalo  cow :  thus  finding,  as  the  good  old 
Indian  had  said,  that  the  Great  Spirit  enabled  him 
to  provide  for  them  just  at  the  time  of  their  distress. 


FAITH   OF   A  POOR   BLIND   WOMAN.  327 


FAITH  OF  A  POOR  BLIND  WOMAN. 

A  PERSON  going  to  see  a  very  aged  woman  of 
color,  found  a  respectable-looking  white  girl  sitting 
by  her,  reading  the  Bible  for  her.  On  inquiring  of 
the  old  woman  whether  she  could  ever  read,  the 
visiter  was  answered,  "  0  yes,  mistress,  and  I  used 
to  read  a  great  deal  in  that  book,  (pointing  to  a 
Bible  very  much  worn,  that  lay  on  the  table,)  but 
now  I  am  most  blind,  and  the  good  girls  read  for 
me ;  but  by  and  by,  when  I  get  on  Zion's  hill,  I 
shall  then  see  as  well  as  any  body." 

2.  The  poor  of  this  world  are  often  found  rich 
in  faith,  and  their  confidence  in  the  wisdom  and 
goodness  of  a  bountiful  Creator,  strong.  How  fre 
quently,  on  visiting  the  abodes  of  the  aged  and 
the  infirm,  do  we  find  this  verified :  one  saying, 
when  something  is  handed  her,  "  The  Lord  has 
sent  me  this  ;" — another,  "  The  Lord  put  it  into  my 
heart  to  be  industrious,  and  lay  up  something  for 
old  age  ;M  &c. 

-J.O    07£:l    ,;;•-,- ' .'.    ViO'/. 


AFRICAN    SCHOOLS    IN    NEW  YORK. 


AFRICAN  SCHOOLS  IN  NEW  YORK. 

THE  Clarkson  Association,  for  instructing  adult 
females  of  color,  commenced  in  the  spring  of  1811, 
and  was  conducted  ten  or  twelve  years  by  a  num 
ber  of  young  females  of  the  Society  of  Friends. 
This  was  the  first  institution  that  came  under  the 
appellation  of  Sabbath  School  in  this  city,  where 
there  are  now  so  many. 

2.  It  was  taught  on  that  day,  because   those 
people  had  generally  more  leisure  to   attend,  than 
on  other  days  of  the  week  :  but  these  benevolent 
females  soon  appropriated  also  one  afternoon  in  the 
middle  of  the  week,  for  such  as  were  at  liberty  to 
attend.     There    were  a  considerable    number   of 
aged  women,  as  well  as  those  in  the  prime  of  life, 
who  learned  to  read,  and  rejoiced  greatly  in  the 
acquisition.     There   were    also    schools   kept  by 
young  men,  for  adults  of  color  of  the  other  sex. 

3.  The  African  Free  Schools,  under  the  care  of 
the  Manumission  Society  in  New  York,  have  en 
gaged  the  attention  of  many  distinguished  persons 
who  have  visited  the  city :  and  many  encouraging 
observations  on  these  schools,  have  appeared  in  tho 
public  prints. 

4.  The  following  remarks  are  taken  from  one  of 
the  daily  papers  of  1824  : — "  We  had  the  pleasure 


AFRICAN    SCHOOLS    IN    NEW  YORK.  329 

of  attending  the  annual  examination  of  the  scholars 
of  the  *  New  York  African  Free  School ;'  and  we 
are  free  to  confess  that  we  never  derived  more 
satisfaction,  or  felt  a  deeper  interest  in  any  school 
exhibition.  The  male  and  female  schools  were 
united  on  this  occasion,  and  the  whole  number  pres 
ent  was  about  six  hundred.  The  exercises  of  the 
scholars  were  commenced  by  an  address  spoken 
by  one  of  the  lads  ;  in  which  were  included  thir 
teen  lines  from  Cowper,  in  favor  of  liberty,  begin 
ning  with 

'  For  there  is  yet  a  liberty  unsung.' 

5.  "  The  examinations  were  in  reading,  writing, 
arithmetic,  a  critical  examination  in  American  Ge 
ography,  and  a  grammar  class  ;  with  a  recitation  ot 
several  appropriate    pieces,    and  an  exhibition  of 
work  done  by  the  females  in  their  department : 
(this  branch  of  their  education  is  under  the  care  of 
a  committee  of  females,  annually  appointed  by  the 
trustees  of  those  schools,  whose  business  it  is  to 
visit  the  school  once  or  more  every  week.) 

6.  "  The  articles  exhibited,  made  within  the  past 
year,  are  as   follows  : — Shirts,  93  ;    pillow  cases, 
61  ;  sheets,  7;  cravats,  49  ;  towels,  23;  handker 
chiefs,  15  ;  wristbands  and  collars,  25  pairs  ;  dress 
es  for  scholars,  13 ;  fine  samplers,  9  ;  bench  covers, 
1   pair;  pocket  books,  2: — knitting,   27  pairs  of 
children's  socks ;  26  pairs  of  suspenders  ;  7  pairs  of 
stockings,  and  6  pincushions.     These  specimens 

OJC* 


330  AFRICAN    SCHOOLS    IN    NEW  YORK. 

of  knitting  and  needlework  all  appeared  to  much 
advantage. 

7.  "  The  number  in  this  department  is  154  ;  of 
which  there  are  56  acquainted  with  making  gar 
ments  and  marking,  and  42  with  knitting  socks, 
stockings,  suspenders,  &c.  ;  the  remainder  are 
progressing  in  those  branches.  Of  this  school, 
Eliza  J.  Cox  is  teacher,  and  Charles  C.  Andrews 
of  that  for  boys.  The  whole  scene  was  highly  in 
teresting,  and  we  never  beheld  a  white  school,  of 
the  same  age,  (of  and  under  fifteen,)  in  which, 
there  were  more  order,  neatness  of  dress,  and  clean 
liness  of  person. 

8.  "  The  exercises  were  performed  with  a 
degree  of  promptness  and  accuracy,  that  was 
surprising  We  could  plainly  perceive,  (notwith 
standing  what  is  asserted  to  the  contrary,)  that  the 
effects  of  education  were  as  visible  upon  the  coun 
tenances  of  these  children,  as  they  are  upon  those 
that  are  white.  Their  countenances,  beaming  with 
intelligence,  and  the  liveliness  of  their  spirits,  with 
their  apparent  happiness,  were  subjects  of  univer 
sal  remark.  There  were  two  or  three  Southern 
gentlemen  present,  and  we  should  have  been  pleas 
ed  had  there  been  many  more. 

9.  "  There  is  one  remarkable  fact,  connected 
with  the  effects  of  this  excellent  school  upon  the 
moral  condition  of  the  blacks.  At  every  term  of 
the  court  of  sessions  in  this  city,  there  are  many 
blacks  convicted  of  crimes,  and  sent  to  the  state 


AFRICAN    SCHOOLS    IN    NEW  YORK.  331 

prison  or  penitentiary.  This  school  has  now  been 
in  operation  a  number  of  years,  and  several  thou 
sands  of  scholars  have  received  the  benefits  of  a 
good  thorough  English  education,  and  but  three 
persons,  who  have  been  educated  here,  have  been 
convicted  in  our  criminal  courts. 

10.  "  This  single  fact  speaks  volumes  in  favor 
of  education,  and  endeavoring  to  improve  the  con 
dition  of  this  unfortunate  class  of  people.     It  is  the 
cultivation  of  the  mind  and  the  heart,  which  teaches 
them  to  be  honest,  makes  them  quiet  and  orderly 
citizens,  and  leads  them  to  a  knowledge  of  the 
means  whereby  they  may  obtain  comfort  in  this 
life,  and  happiness  in  the  life  to  come." 

11.  Several  girls,  who  have  received  their  edu 
cation  at  this  school,  have  gone  with  their  parents 
to  Hayti,  where  they  will  be   capable  of  teaching 
schools  and  may  be  of  singular  benefit.     Two  in 
teresting  letters,  written  in  a  very  fair  intelligible 
hand  by  one  of  these  girls   about  fourteen    years 
old,  have  been  received  by  E.  J.  Cox  ;    extracts 
from  which  are  here  subjoined. 


lic  of  Hayti,  City  of  St.  Domingo,  Sept.  29,  1824. 

"  DEAR  TEACHER,  —  With  pleasure  I  hasten  to 
inform  you  of  our  safe  arrival  in  St.  Domingo,  after 
a  passage  of  twenty-one  days.  Mother  and  myself 
were  very  much  afflicted  with  sea-sickness,  for 
about  nine  or  ten  days,  but  after  that  we  enjoyed  a 
little  of  the  pleasures  of  our  voyage. 


332  AFRICAN    SCHOOLS    IN    NEW  YORK. 

13.  "  On  our  arrival,  we  were  conducted  by  the 
captain  of  the  port  to  the  governor's  house,  where 
we  were  received  by  him  with  all  the  friendship 
that  he  could  have  received  us  with,  had  we  been 
intimately  acquainted  for  years.     After  informing 
him  of  our  intention  of  residing  on  the  island,  we 
were   conducted  to  the  residence   of  the    second 
general   in   command,  where  we  had  our  names 
registered. 

14.  "From  thence  we  went  to  see  the  principal 
chapel  in  the  city  ;  to  give  a  description  of  which, 
it  requires  a  far  abler  pen  than  mine  ;"  (she  how 
ever  mentions  many  particulars  ;)  "  but  you  cannot 
form  an  idea  of  it,  unless  you  could  see  for  your 
self.     After  we  had  viewed  the  church  through 
out,  we  were  conducted  to  our  lodging,  at  which 
place  we  are  at  present.    Since  we  have  been  here, 
my  sampler  and  bench  cover  have  been  seen  by  a 
number  of  ladies  and  gentlemen,  and  have  been 
very  much  admired  by  all  who  have  seen  them. 

15.  "  Dear  teacher,  notwithstanding  we  are  hun 
dreds  of  miles  from  each  other,  I  hope  you  will  not 
think  that  I  shall  forget  you,  or  those  kind  friends 
(I  mean  the  trustees)  who  have  been  so  kind  to 
me  :  for  had  it  not  been  for  them  and  yourself,  per 
haps  I  never  should  have  known  one  half  what  I 
do,  as  respects  my  education  ;  for  which,  for  them 
and  you,  to  God  I  shall  offer  up  my  humble  pray 
ers  for  your  welfare,  both  in  this  life,  and  that 
which  is  to  come, 


AFRICAN    SCHOOLS    IN    NEW  YORK.  333 

16.  "  Please  to  give  my  kind  respects  to  Mr. 
Andrews,  and  my  love  to  all  my  schoolmates. 
Father,  mother,  and  brothers,  join  in  love  with  me 
to  you  and  Mr.  Andrews. 

"  P.  S. — Please  to  get  three  yards  of  fine  white 
canvas,  three  yards  of  fine  yellow,  three  sets  of 
knitting  needles,  and  two  skeins  of  blue  worsted — 
which  I  forgot.  Mother  has  enclosed  four  dollars 
for  the  same. 

"  I  am,  with  respect,  yours, 

"  SERENA  M.  BALDWIN." 

"  Republic  ofHayti,  City  of  St.  Domingo,  June  30,  1825. 

"DEAR  TEACHER, — 1  received  your  letter,  dated 
November  llth,  1824,  and  was  truly  happy  to  hear 
from  you.  The  canvas,  worsted,  and  books,  T  re 
ceived  also ;  for  which  I  thank  you  kindly.  The 
advice  that  you  have  given  me,  I  shall  cherish  in 
my  bosom,  and  hope  the  impression  it  will  make 
there,  shall  be  such  as  time  never  can  destroy. 

18.  "Although  we  are  separated  from  each 
other  hundreds  of  miles,  I  shall  ever  consider  it  my 
duty  to  adhere  to  your  advice  ;  especially  when  it 
is  such  as  concerns  my  eternal  welfare.  Among 
your  good  wishes,  you  wish  I  may  live  to  enjoy 
freedom.  Dear  teacher,  if  ever  there  was  a  coun 
try  where  Liberty  dwells,  it  is  here.  It  is  a  bless 
ing  enjoyed  alike  by  all  men,  without  respect  to 
fortune  or  color — it  cannot  be  otherwise,  as  our 
motto  is,  *  Liberty  and  Equality.' 


334  AFRICAN    SCHOOLS    IN    NEW  YORK. 

19.  "As  respects  our  situation,  it  is  a  pleasant 
one.     Picture  to  yourself  a  farm  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  from  the  city,  containing  about  twelve  acres 
of  even  land,  in  the  centre  of  which  stands  a  little 
white  cottage,    surrounded  by  all   kinds    of  fruit 
trees  that  the  island  produces,  besides  vegetables 
of  every  kind,  which  we  have  raised  since  we  have 
been   here.     Add   to    these,  two  cows,  one  calf, 
geese,  ducks,  and  upward  of  one  hundred  chickens, 
and  I  am  certain  you  will  agree  with  me,  in  saying 
our  situation  is  truly  pleasant. 

20.  "  On  New- Year  day,  which  is  the  anniver 
sary  of  our  independence,  we  went  to  the  parade, 
where  the  troops  were  assembled  in  the  public 
square  at  an  early  hour."    After  mentioning  divers 
particulars,  she   concludes  with  saying,  "  At  ten 
o'clock,  the  inhabitants,  with  one  accord,  retired  to 
their  respective  homes,  without  the  least  noise  or 
tumult.     Thus  passed  the  day  of  Haytian  inde 
pendence.     My  parents  join  with   me  in  love  to 
you  and  Mr.  Andrews,  &c. 

"  SERENA  M.  BALDWIN." 

Extracts  from  letters  from  Charles  W.  Fisher  (formerly  of  Balti 
more)  to  his  father,  written  at  Cape  Haytien  in  1825. 

"  You  wish  to  know  how  I  am  likely  to  make 
out  to  live  in  this  country.  I  have  received  a 
plantation  from  the  government,  and  find  the  soil 
good  for  tillage,  and  its  productions  good  for  food. 
We  have  plenty  of  vegetable  food,  though  meat  is 


AFRICAN    SCHOOLS    IN    NEW    YORK.  335 

not  procured  in  such  abundance  here  as  in  Amer 
ica.  Many  of  the  emigrants  are  dissatisfied  on 
that  account :  they  are  impatient,  and  indulge  in 
complaints,  like  the  children  of  Israel,  when  in 
the  wilderness,  not  knowing  the  good  prospect 
that  awaits  them.  Every  one  that  will  patiently 
bear  a  little  privation  at  first,  can  live  here,  and 
do  well." 

22.  "  I  am  in  good  health,  and  the  production  of 
my  land  is  in  good  order,  yielding  coffee,  corn, 
sweet  potatoes,  yams,  bananas,  oranges,  pine 
apples,  cotton  trees  in  abundance,  and  oil  trees.  I 
have  2000  bearing  coffee  trees,  besides  young 
ones  too  numerous  to  mention.  My  plantation  is 
eight  miles  from  the  city  of  Cape  Hayti.  I  come 
to  town  every  Saturday,  to  hear  news  from  Amer 
ica  and  the  price  of  coffee.  As  soon  as  I  get  my 
coffee  in,  I  shall  send  you  a  hundred  pounds  to' 
try  it." 


336  NEW    YORK    AFRICA 


NEW  YORK  AFRICAN  SCHOOL  FOR  BOYS 

COMMUNICATED    TO    THE    COMPILER. 

IN  the  African  school  for  boys,  in  Mulberry- 
street,  a  class  has  long  been  established,  which  is 
perhaps  the  only  one  of  the  kind  in  the  city  of 
New  York.  It  is  composed  of  such  boys  as  are 
the  best  behaved,  and  most  advanced  in  their  learn 
ing,  say  in  arithmetic,  as  far  as  the  Rule  of  Three. 
They  are  distinguished  in  school,  by  a  medal  sus 
pended  to  the  neck,  on  which  are  engraved  the 
words,  "  Class  of  Merit." 

2.  This   class   has   a  regular  meeting   once   a 
month,  to  transact  business,  and  to  hear  the  reports 
of  standing  and  other  committees.     It  is  allowed 
one  hour  each  session  to  conduct  its  business.     Its 
officers  are   a   chairman,  secretary,  register,  and 
treasurer.     The   class,  by  a  vote,  determines   in 
what  branch  of  learning  a  member  shall  excel,  to 
entitle  him  to  the   chair  at  the  next  succeeding 
meeting — the   teacher  always  deciding.      I  have 
seen  some  specimens  of  penmanship,  map  draw 
ing,  composition,  both  in  prose  and  verse,  the  per 
formance  of  those  lads,  the  result  of  this  laudable 
emulation. 

3.  The  chairman  preserves   order  and  decorum, 
at  the  meetings  of  the  class  ;  the  secretary  records, 
in  a  neat  manner,  their  proceedings ;  the  register 


SCHOOL    FOR    BOYS.  337 

enters  in  his  book  the  names,  qualifications,  char 
acter,  and  other  particulars,  of  every  member 
when  admitted ;  and  the  treasurer  collects  the  vol 
untary  contributions*  of  the  members  at  every 
stated  meeting.  On  the  admission  of  a  new  mem 
ber,  he  is  addressed  by  the  chairman,  and  re 
ceived  in  due  form,  in  presence  of  the  whole 
school. 

4.  The   class  appoints   a  committee   at   each 
stated  meeting,  whose  duty  it  is  to  take  notice  of 
the  general  deportment  of  the  members  when  out 
of  school,  and  to  report  to  the  class,  if  they  dis 
cover  any  thing  in  the  conduct  of  a  member  im 
moral,  or  unbecoming ;  and  the  member  so  report 
ed,  is  dealt  with  in  such  manner  as  the  circum 
stances  of  the  case  may  require ;  such  as  suspen 
sion,  expulsion,  or  otherwise  :  even  reproof  by  the 
chairman  has  been  known  to  have  a  very  striking 
effect. 

5.  Another  committee  observe  the  appearance  of 
the  members,  as  it  respects  cleanliness,  and  report, 
if  occasion   require ;    and   a  third   is   called   the 
Health   Committee,  who,  on  hearing  of  the  sick 
ness  of  any  member,  visit  him,  and  render  ser 
vices  of  kindness,  and  report  on  such  subjects  at 
every  regular  meeting. 

*  These  contributions  chiefly  consist  of  school  tickets  of  reward* 
bearing  a  nominal  value,  which  the  teacher  receives  for  cash,  and 
places  to  the  credit  of  the  class.  These  funds,  with  the  consent  of 
the  teacher,  are  disposed  of  by  the  class  in  purchasing  books  for 
the  library,  &c.  .**»**  <** 

29 


338  NEW    YORK   AFRICAN 

6.  I  now  subjoin  an  instance  of  the  good  effect 
of  this  juvenile   tribunal.      Some  time  ago,  at  a 
meeting  of  the  class,  held  then  in  the  back  part  of 
the  school  room,  one  of  the  members  was  observed 
by  the  teacher  to  be  in  considerable  trouble.     The 
rest  of  the  class  were  seated,  and  the  chairman 
was   standing   in   the  attitude  of  addressing  this 
poor  fellow,   who   it   appeared   had  been    doing 
wrong.     The  scene  being  one  which  interested 
the  teacher,  he  walked  toward  the  class,  and  the 
following  dialogue  took  place  : — 

7.  Teacher.  May  I  be  permitted  by  the  chair 
man,  to  ask,  what  is  the  cause  of  the  grief  which 
seems  to  afflict  this  member  of  the  class  ?  (point 
ing  to  the  boy  in  tears.) 

8.  Chairman.  Yes,  sir.     He  has  been  reported 
by  the  Standing  Committee,  as  having  made  use 
of  bad  language  out  of  school ;  it  has  been  proved 
against  him  here,  and  he  has  been  sentenced  by 
the  class,  to  be  reproved  by  the  chairman  in  this 
manner. 

9.  Teacher.  It  is  a  serious  sentence,  and  a  still 
more  serious  crime  which  has  occasioned  it ;  but 
I  perceive  that  the  offender  is  in  great  distress. 
Have  you  gone  through  with  what  you  intended  to 
say  to  him  ? 

10.  Chairman.    No,   sir;   I   have  considerable 
yet  to  say  to  him. 

11.  Teacher.  Shall  I  request  one  more  indul 
gence,  and  that  in  behalf  of  poor  William  ?  (the 


SCHOOL    FOR    BOYS.  339 

name  of  the  offender:)  I  wish  to  speak  a  few 
words  to  him. 

1 2.  Chairman.  By  all  means,  sir. 

13.  Teacher.  How  is  this,  William;   did  you 
not  know  that  it  was  very  wicked,  as  well  as  offen 
sive  to  your  classmates,  thus  to  transgress  ? 

14.  William.    0,  yes,  sir,    (the   tears   all   the 
while  streaming  down  his  cheeks,)  I  know  it  was 
very  wrong — but  do  pray,  sir,  please  to  ask  the 
class  to  forgive  me ;  I  will  never  be  guilty  of  the 
crime  again — I  know  I  have  disgraced  myself,  and 
I  am  very  sorry — I  have  done  very  wrong.     Can't 
I  be  forgiven ? 

15.  It  appears  that   this  was  spoken  with  so 
much  earnestness  as  to  affect  the  whole  class,  and 
a  readiness  to  forgive   seemed  evident  in  every 
countenance.      The  teacher  then,  turning  to  the 
chairman,  asked  him  if  he  could,  with  propriety, 
dispense  with  saying  any  thing  further  to  William 
than  to  express  his  forgiveness,  on  condition  of  a 
promise  that  he  would  be  more  careful  in  future. 

16.  The  chairman  (a  boy  of  fourteen  years  of 
age)  bowed  assent ;  and  handing  back  to  the  little 
penitent  his  medal,  of  which  he  had  been  deprived 
on  conviction  of  guilt,  he  expressed  the  forgive 
ness   of  the  class  in  a  becoming  manner.     Poor 
William,  still  in  tears,  thanked  his  teacher  for  in 
terceding  for  him,  resumed  his  seat,  and  soon  ap 
peared  greatly  relieved. 

ONE  OF  THE  TRUSTEES. 


340  SNOW    STORM. 


SNOW  STORM. 

SEVERAL  persons  of  color,  among  whom  was 
one  about  nineteen  years  old,  having  been  toward 
the  south  side  of  Long  Island  on  a  frolic,  were 
returning  home  across  Hempstead  Plains,  on  the 
morning  of  the  3d  of  4th  month,  1825,  when  there 
was  a  violent  snow  storm, — and  the  snow,  being 
deep  in  many  places,  had  drifted  so  as  to  make 
travelling  very  difficult  and  tiresome. 

2.  The  youth,  complaining  of  cold  and  fatigue, 
was  helped  by  his  companions  some  distance,  but 
finding  themselves  unable  to  get  him  along  through 
the  snow,  which  had  become  very  wet  and  heavy, 
one  of  them  agreed  to  stay  with  him  until  the 
other  two  should  seek  a  conveyance  to  some  shel 
ter.  They  accordingly  left  those  two,  and  pursued 
their  way  as  fast  as  they  could.  They  were 
obliged  to  travel  a  considerable  distance  before 
they  could  obtain  the  desired  object,  and  when  they 
returned,  the  unhappy  youth  had  expired. 


QUASHI.  341 


QUASHI. 

T.  BRANAGAN,  in  his  Essay  on  Slavery,  makes 
the  following  remarks  :  "  To  illustrate  my  asser 
tion,  that  the  Africans,  no  less  than  ourselves,  are 
capable  of  gratitude  and  resentment,  friendship 
and  honor,  I  give  the  following  well-attested  rela 
tion  : — 

2.  "  Quashi  was,  from  his  childhood,  brought 
up  in  the  same  family  with  his  master,  and  was 
his  constant  playmate.     As  he  was  a  lad  of  con 
siderable  abilities,  he  rose  to  be  an  overseer  under 
his  master,  when  he  succeeded  to  the  plantation. 
Still   he   retained   for  his  master  the  tenderness 
which,  in   childhood,  he   felt  for  his  playfellow. 
The  respect  for  his  new  master  was  softened  by 
that  tender  affection,  which  the  remembrance  of 
their  juvenile  intimacy  still  kept  alive  in  his  breast. 

3.  "  He  had  no  separate  interest  of  his  own  ;  to 
promote  his  master's  interest,  not  only  while  he 
was  present,  but  when  he  was  absent,  was  his  con 
stant  study.     Nay,  in  his  master's  absence,  he  re 
doubled  his  diligence,  that  his  interest  might  sus 
tain  no  injury  from  it.     There  was,  in  short,  the 
most  intimate,  strong,  and  seemingly  indissoluble 
union  between  them,  that  can  subsist  between  a 
master  and  his  slave. 

4.  "  His  master  had  discernment   to  perceive 

29* 


342  QUASHI. 

when  he  was  well  served,  and  policy  to  reward  good 
behaviour.  But,  unfortunately  for  his  faithful  ser 
vant,  if  he  conceived  a  fault  committed,  he  was  in 
exorable.  Even  when  there  was  only  an  apparent 
cause  of  suspicion,  he  was  too  apt  to  allow  preju 
dice  to  usurp  the  place  of  proof.  Something  hap 
pened  on  the  plantation,  which  Quashi  could  not 
explain  so  as  to  clear  himself  to  the  satisfaction  of 
his  master,  and  he  was  threatened  with  the  shame 
ful,  as  well  as  painful  punishment  of  the  cart 
whip  ;  and  he  knew  his  master  too  well  to  doubt 
of  the  execution  of  his  threatening. 

5.  "  It  is  well  known  in  the  West  Indies,  that  a 
negro  who  has  grown  to  manhood,  without  under 
going  the  punishment  of  the  cart  whip,  is  apt  to 
feel  a  pride  in  the  smoothness  of  his  skin ;  and  is 
at  greater  pains  to  escape  the  lash  from  this,  than, 
perhaps,  from  any  other  consideration. 

6.  "  It  is  not  uncommon  for  a  slave,  when  he  is 
flogged,  or  threatened  with  it,  for  what  he  reckons 
no  fault,  or  if  any,  a  very  trifling  one,  to  stab  him 
self.     Such  is  the  sense  of  honor,  which  some  of 
them  entertain,  that,  rather  than  be  disgraced,  they 
would  choose  to  die. 

7.  "  Dreading  this  mortal  wound  to  his  honor, 
Quashi  secretly  withdrew  from  his  master.     It  is 
not  unusual  for  slaves,  when  they  are  afraid  of 
punishment,  to  apply  to  some  friend  of  their  mas 
ter's   to  intercede   for  them.     Such   mediation  a 
humane  master  readily  accepts  in  the  case  of  some 


QUASHI.  843 

irifling  offence.     Of  this  custom,  Quashi  intended 
to  avail  himself. 

8.  "  To  save  the  glossy  honors  of  his  skin,  he 
resolved  to  hide  himself,  until  he  should  find  an 
opportunity  of  a  friend  to  advocate  his  cause.     He 
lurked  among  his  master's  negro  huts,  and  his  fel 
low  slaves  had  too  great  a  regard  for  him,  to  dis 
cover  to  his  master  the  place  of  his  retreat.     In 
deed,  it  is  almost  impossible  to  prevail  with  one 
slave,  in  any  such  case,  to  inform  against  another. 

9.  "  It  happened,  that  at  this  time  his  master's 
nephew  became  of  age,  and,  for  the  celebration  of 
the  event,  a  feast  was  to  be  made.     This  oppor 
tunity  Quashi  determined  to  improve ;  hoping,  that 
amid  the  good   humor  and  festivities  of  the  dav, 
he  might  be  able,  through  the  intervention  of  an 
advocate,  to  obtain  the  reconciliation  of  his  master. 

10.  "But  most  unhappily,  before  he  could  exe 
cute  his  design,  perhaps  at  the  very  thne^he  was 
setting  out  to  solicit  the  aid  of  a  mediator,  his 
master  happened  to  be  walking  in  the  fields,  and 
discovered  him.     Quashi,  the  moment  he  was  dis 
covered,  ran  off ;  and  his  master  pursued  him :  but 
just  as  his  master  stretched  out  his  hand  to  lay 
.hold  of  him,  he  struck  his  foot  against  a  stone  or 
clod,  and  fell. 

11."  They  fell  together,  and  both  being  stout 
men,  they  struggled  hard  for  the  mastery.  After  a 
severe  conflict,  in  which  each  was  several  times 
uppermost,  Quashi  seated  himself  on  his  master's 


344  QUASHI. 

breast,  now  panting  and  almost  out  of  breath,  and 
with  his  weight  and  one  of  his  hands,  kept  him  so 
fast  that  he  could  not  move.  He  then  drew  out  a 
sharp  knife,  and,  while  the  other  lay  in  awful  sus 
pense  and  agitation,  he  accosted  him  thus  : — 

12.  "  '  Master,  I  was  bred  up  with  you  from  my 
infancy ;  I  was  your  playmate  while  you  and  I 
were  boys  ;  I  have  loved  you  as  myself;  your  in 
terest  has  been  my  daily  care  ;  I  am  innocent  of 
the  fault  of  which  you  suspect  me.     Had  I  been 
guilty,  my  attachment  to  you  might  have  pleaded 
for  me.     Yet  you  have  condemned  me  to  a  pun 
ishment,  of  which,  were  it  inflicted,  I  ever  must 
bear  the  disgraceful  marks.     In  this  way  only  can 
I  avoid  them/     Uttering  these  words,  he  drew  the 
knife,  with  all  his  strength,  across  his  own  throat, 
and  fell  down   dead,  on  his  master,  bathing  him  in 
his  blood." 

13.  Another  instance  of  arbitrary  power  in  the 
slaveholder,  he  mentions  being  a   witness  to,  in 
Grenada : — "  A  sucking   infant   was,  with    more 
than    brutal  barbarity,  forced   from  its    mother's 
breast,  to  return  no  more  to  her,  and  because  she 
struggled  to  keep  it,  which  natural  affection  irre 
sistibly  prompted  her  to  do,  she  was  flogged  with 
great  severity  I" 


EXHORTATION    OF   AN    INDIAN.  343 


EXHORTATION  OF  A  MEXICAN  INDIAN  TO 
HIS  SON. 

FROM  WINTERBOTHAM'S  AMERICA. 

"Mr  son,  we  know  not  how  long  Heaven  will 
grant  to  us  the  enjoyment  of  that  precious  gem 
which  we  possess  in  thee ;  but  however  short  the 
period,  endeavor  to  live  exactly ;  praying  God  con 
tinually  to  assist  thee.  He  created  thee  ;  thou  art 
his  property.  He  is  thy  father,  and  loves  thee  still 
more  than  I  do :  repose  in  him  thy  thoughts,  and 
day  and  night  direct  thy  sighs  to  him.  Reverence 
and  salute  thy  elders,  and  hold  no  one  in  contempt. 
To  the  poor  and  distressed  be  not  dumb,  but  rather 
use  words  of  comfort.  Honor  all  persons,  particu 
larly  thy  parents,  to  whom  thou  owest  obedience, 
respect,  and  service. 

2.  "  Mock  not,  my  son,  the  aged  or  the  imper 
fect.     Scorn  not  him  whom  thou  seest  fall  into 
some  folly  or  transgression,  nor    make  him  re 
proaches  ;    but  restrain  thyself,  and  beware,  lest 
thou  fall  into  the  same  error  which  offends  thee  in 
another.     Go  not  where  thou  art  not  called,  nor 
interfere  in  that  which  does  not  concern  thee.  En 
deavor  to  manifest  thy  good  breeding,  in  all  thy 
words  and  actions. 

3.  "  In  conversation,  do  not  lay  thy  hands  upon 


346  EXHORTATION    OP    AN    INDIAN. 

another,  nor  speak  too  much,  nor  interrupt  or  dis 
turb  another's  discourse.  When  any  one  is  dis 
coursing  with  thee,  hear  him  attentively,  and  hold 
thyself  in  an  easy  attitude,  neither  playing  with 
thy  feet,  nor  putting  thy  mantle  to  thy  mouth,  nor 
spitting  too  often,  nor  looking  about  here  and  there, 
nor  rising  up  frequently,  if  thou  art  sitting;  for 
such  actions  are  indications  of  levity  and  low 
breeding." 

4.  He  proceeds  to  mention  several  vices,  which 
are  to  be  particularly  avoided ;  and  concludes  with 
•  — "  Steal  not,  nor  give  thyself  to  gaming ;  other 
wise  thou  wilt  be  a  disgrace  to  thy  parents,  whom 
thou  oughtest  to  honor  for  the  education  they  have 
given  thee.  If  thou  wilt  be  virtuous,  thy  example 
will  put  the  wicked  to  shame.  No  more,  my  son  : 
enough  has  been  said  in  discharge  of  the  duties  of 
a  father.  With  these  counsels  I  wish  to  fortify 
thy  mind.  Refuse  them  not,  nor  act  in  contradic 
tion  to  them,  for  in  them  thy  life,  and  all  thy  hap 
piness  depend." 

:«0f>3 


INJURED  AFRICANS.  347 


THE    INJURED  AFRICANS. 

PROM  THE   NEW  YORK   OBSERVER— 1826. 

IN  our  paper  of  the  21st  of  January,  we  inserted 
a  communication  from  a  correspondent,  giving  an 
account  of  an  aged  colored  woman,  who  emigrated 
with  her  husband  from  New  Orleans  to  this  city 
last  summer,  bringing  with  her  another  colored 
woman  whom  she  had  -rescued  from  slavery  at  the 
expense  of  her  little  all.  The  object  of  these  poor 
people  in  coming  to  New  York,  was  simply  to  en 
joy  the  privileges  of  the  gospel  without  interrup 
tion, 

2.  A  benevolent  gentleman  of  our  acquaintance* 
whose  feelings  were  much  interested  in  the  ac 
count  which  we  published,  and  who  has  since  re 
peatedly  visited  this  interesting  family,  has  put  into 
our  hands  the  following  particulars  of  th$ir  history 
for    publication.     The  name   of  the   husband  is 
Reuben,  that  of  his  wife,  Betsey,  and  that  of  their 
companion,  Fanny. 

3.  "  Reuben  Madison,  the  husband,  was  born  ia 
Virginia,  near  Port  Royal,  about  the  year  1781. 
His  parents,  and  all  his  connections  in  this  country, 
were  slaves.     His  father  died  when  he  was  about 
seven  years  old.     His  mother  is  now  living  ia 
Kentucky,    enjoying  freedom    in    her    old    age, 
through  the  filial  regard  of  Reuben,  who  purchased 


348  THE    INJURED  AFRICANS*,  ' 

her  liberty  for  seventy  dollars.     She  is  seriously 
disposed,  but  not  a  professor  of  religion. 

4.  "  He  has  now  eight  brothers  and  sisters  liv 
ing  in,  Frankfort,  Franklin  county,  Kentucky,  all 
slaves,  and  all,  excepting  one,  members  of  a  Baptist 
church  in  that  place.     About  a  year  after  his  con 
version,  Reuben  was  married  to  a  slave,  who  had 
been  kidnapped  in  Maryland,  and  sold  to  a  planter 
in   his    neighborhood.     She    was    also   hopefully 
pious. 

5.  "  While  they  lived  together,  she  became  the 
mother  of  two  children  ;  but  about  four  years  after 
their  marriage,  she  and  one  of  the  children,  aged 
eight  months,  were   sold  without  his  knowledge, 
and  transported  to  a  distant  Spanish  territory,  and 
with  so  much  secrecy,  that  he  had  no  opportunity 
even  to  bid  her  a  last  farewell.     *  This,'  said  he, 
'  was  the   severest  trial  of  my  life,  a  sense  of  sin 
only  excepted.     I  mourned  and   cried,  and  would 
not  be  comforted. 

6.  "  '  After  several  months,  however,  the  hope 
of  meeting  her  and  my  children  again  in  the  king 
dom  of  God,  when  we  should  never  be  separated, 
together  with  a  promise  from  my  master  that  I 
should  at  some  future  time  go  to  see  her,  in  some 
measure  allayed  my  grief,  and  permitted  me  to  en 
joy  the  consolations  of  religion.'     The  other  child 
is  now  a  slave  in  Kentucky,  though  the  father  has 
often  endeavored  in  vain  to  purchase  his  freedom. 

7.  "  About  six  years  since,  having  hired  his  time 


THE    INJURED  AFRICANS.  349 

of  his  master  for  five  years  previous,  at  120  dollars 
a  year,  Reuben  succeeded,  by  trafficking  in  rags, 
and  in  other  ways,  in  collecting  a  sum  sufficient 
for  the  purchase  of  his  own  freedom,  for  which  he 
paid  700  dollars,  and  not  only  so,  but  he  was  ena 
bled,  with  his  surplus  earnings,  to  build  a  brick 
house,  and  to  provide  it  with  convenient  accommo 
dations.  By  the  dishonesty  of  his  former  master, 
however,  all  was  taken  from  him. 

8.  "  Thus  stripped  of  his  property,  he  left  Ken 
tucky  and  went  to  New  Orleans,  that  he  might 
learn  something  from  his  wife,  and,  if  possible,  find 
and  redeem  her ;  but  he  only  succeeded  in  gaining 
the  painful  intelligence  that  she  was  dead.  He 
there  formed  an  acquaintance  with  his  present 
wife,  whose  former  name  was  Betsey  Bond,  and 
they  were  soon  married.  The  circumstances  of 
her  life  were  briefly  these  : — 

9.  "  Betsey  was  born  a  slave,  near  Hobbs's 
Hole,  Essex  county,  Virginia,  about  1763,  and  was 
married  to  a  slave  at  about  the  age  of  twenty 
years.  By  him  she  had  three  children,  one  of 
which,  together  with  her  husband,  died  a  few  years 
after  their  marriage.  Soon  after  their  death,  she 
was  led  to  reflect  on  her  lost  state  as  a  sinner,  and 
after  about  seven  months  of  deep  anxiety,  was  ena 
bled,  as  she  trusts,  to  resign  herself  into  the  hands 
of  her  Saviour,  and  experience  those  consolations 
which  he  deigns  to  grant  to  the  broken-hearted 
penitent. 

SO 


360         THE  INJUHED  AFRICANS. 

10.  "  She  gained  the  confidence  and  attachment 
of  her  mistress,  who  treated  her  witii  much  kind 
ness,  and  she  was  married  to  a  pious  servant  of  the 
family,  where  she  remained  about  nine  years.     At 
the  close  of  this  period,  a  planter  from  the  vicinity 
of  Natchez,  coming  to  Alexandria,    in   Virginia, 
where  she  then  lived,  for  slaves,  she  was  sold,  and 
carried,  with  eight  others,  to  his  plantation,  leaving 
her  husband  behind. 

11.  "Her  new  master  treated  her  with  great 
severity,  and  she  was  compelled  to  labor  almost 
incessantly  every  day  of  the  week,  Sabbath  not 
excepted,  to  save  herself  from  the  lash.    With  this 
man  she  lived  nineteen  years.     He  then  died,  and 
left  his  slaves,  by  will,  to  another  planter,  who  also 
dying  soon  after,  she  was  again  sold,  and  transport 
ed  to  New  Orleans,  where  she  arrived  about  the 
year  1812. 

12.  "At  the  end  of  two  years,  this  master  also 
died  ;  and  when  his  slaves  were  about  lo  be  sold, 
Betsey  succeeded  with   some  difficulty  in  hiring 
her  time,  and  in  a  little  more  than  a  year,  by  wash 
ing  and  other  labor,  she  acquired  sufficient  proper 
ty  to  purchase  her  freedom,  for  which  she  paid  250 
dollars.     Her  youngest  son  and  his  wife  being  also 
slaves  in  New  Orleans,  she  hoped  to  obtain,  by  her 
industry  and  economy,  money  sufficient  to  pur 
chase  them  also ;  but  their  master  refused  to  part 
with  them. 

13.  "  About  six  years  ago,  a  large  number  of 


THE    INJURED  AFRICANS,  351 

slaves  were  brought  to  New  Orleans  from  Vir 
ginia,  and  were  about  to  be  offered  for  sale,  and 
Fanny  was  among  the  nilmber.  Having  accident 
ally  become  acquainted  with  her,  previous  to  the 
sale,  and  finding  her  a  sister  in  Christ,  Betsey's 
feelings  were  deeply  interested,  and  she  resolved 
to  purchase  her,  and  to  treat  her  not  as  a  slave, 
but  as  a  child  and  companion. 

14.  "  This  determination  she  communicated  to 
Fanny,  and  with  the  aid  of  a  gentleman  she  suc 
ceeded  in   accomplishing  her  object.     The  price 
was  250  dollars.     She  paid  200,  her  all,  and  ob 
tained  a  short  credit  for  the  remainder.    Soon  after 
this,  her  present  husband  coming  to  New  Orleans, 
as  before  stated,  they  were  married,  and  the  pay 
ment  for  Fanny  was  then  completed. 

15.  "By  their  united  industry,  they  were  soon 
able  to  build  a  comfortable  house,  in  which  they 
set  apart  a  room   for  religious   purposes.     Here 
they  assembled  with  others  every  Sabbath,  for  the 
worship  of  God.    But  being  constantly  exposed  to 
disturbance  in  their  worship,  they  felt  a  great  de 
sire  to  go  to  a  free  state,  where  they  might  enjoy 
religious  privileges  unmolested ;  where  they  could 
unite  with  Christian  friends  in  social  prayer  and 
conversation,  without  a  soldier  with  a  drawn  sword 
stationed  at  their  door. 

16.  "  They  fixed  upon  New  York  as  the  desired 
asylum  ;  and  having  arranged  their  concerns,  rent 
ed  their  house,  and  collected  their  effects,  they 


352  THE    INJURED    AFRICANS. 

engaged  and  paid  their  passage,  which  was  seventy 
dollars,  and  sailed  from  New  Orleans  about  the 
12th  of  July,  1825,  with  pleasing  anticipations,  for 
a  land  of  freedom  and  religious  privileges. 

1 7.  "  They  suffered  much  on  the  voyage,  through 
the  cruelty  of  the  captain  ;*  being  exposed  without 
shelter,  during  the  whole  of  the  passage,  either  on 
deck  or  in  the  longboat.     In   consequence  of  this 
exposure,  both  of  the  women  were  taken  sick  ;  and 
in  this  condition,  they  arrived  at  New  York,  and 
were  landed  on  the  wharf  in  a  land  of  strangers, 
their  money  almost  expended,  and  none  to  com 
miserate  their  sufferings. 

18.  "After  a  few  days,  however,  Reuben  suc 
ceeded  in  obtaining  a  miserable  cellar  in  Chapel- 
street,  at  sixty  dollars  annual  rent,  where  he  re 
mained  until  quite  recently,  supporting  the  family 
in  their  sickness,  by  his  labor  as  a  shoemaker,  and 
by  the  sale  of  some  of  his  effects. 

19.  "  On  his  arrival  at  this  port,  his  first  act  was, 
to  grant  entire  freedom  to  Fanny,  giving  her  liberty 
to  live  with  him,  or  to  go  where  she  pleased.    She 
chose  to  remain  with  him  ;   and  she  now  assists  in 
the  support  of  the  family  by  washing  and  other 


*  The  name  of  this  wretch  is  Anderson,  and  the  vessel  which  ha 
commanded  at  that  time  was  the  brig  Russel.  We  are  happy  to 
learn  that  a  benevolent  gentleman,  who  accidentally  became  ac 
quainted  with  his  cruelty,  prosecuted  him  soon  after  his  arrival,  in 
behalf  of  the  injured  family,  and  received  for  them  damages  to  th« 
amount  of  forty  dollars.— Editor  N.  Y.  Oba. 


THE    INJURED    AFRICANS.  353 

labor,  and  nurses  her  mistress,  who  is  evidently 
declining  with  the  consumption,  occasioned  doubt 
less  by  the  severity  of  her  treatment  on  the  pas 
sage  from  New  Orleans. 

20.  "  Not  being  able  to  pay  their  rent  in  ad 
vance,  owing  to  their  sickness  and  other  expenses, 
their  landlord  not  long  since  compelled  them  to 
quit  their  residence ;  and   they  have    since  been 
obliged  to  put  up  with  still  more  miserable  accom 
modations  in  a  cellar  in  Elm  street,  where  they 
now  reside. 

21.  "  They  appear  to  put  their  trust  and  confi 
dence  in  God,  and  express  their  entire  belief  that 
all  their  trials  are  designed  for  their  good.     They 
seem  to  be  one  in  sentiment  and  feeling,  and  to 
manifest  a  spirituality  of  mind  rarely  to  be  found. 
Every  little  attention  is  most  gratefully  received, 
and  the  best  of  blessings  are  implored  on  him  who 
bestows  it. 

22.  "With  some  assistance  from  the  benevo 
lent,  and  with  what  they  may  receive  from  New 
Orleans  for  rent,  it  is  believed  they  may  be  pro 
vided  with  a  comfortable  house,  and  be  introduced 
to  those  privileges  which  they  so  ardently  desire. 
No  one  of  the  family  can  read,  though  they  are  all 
desirous  to  learn,  and  from  a  little  attention  which 
their  friends  have  given  them,  it  appears  that  they 
may  be  taught  without  difficulty." 

23.  We  trust  that  the  mere  recital  of  these  facts 
will  be  sufficient  to  awaken  the  sympathy  of  our 

30* 


354         THE  INJURED  AFRICANS. 

Christian  friends,  and  to  induce  immediate  meas 
ures  for  the  relief  of  the  benevolent  sufferers.  A 
note  from  our  correspondent  informs  us,  that  with 
in  a  few  days  the  health  of  the  sick  woman  has 
rapidly  declined,  owing  doubtless  to  her  miser 
able  accommodations,  and  that  she  is  now  appa 
rently  in  the  last  stage  of  the  consumption. 

24.  In  a  few  weeks  at  farthest,  her  spirit  will 
ascend  to  that  world  where  sorrow  and  sighing  will 
cease,  and  all  tears  be  for  ever  wiped  from  her  eyes. 
We  hope  that  the  little  remnant  of  her  days  on 
earth  will  be  made  happy,  and  that  when  she  ap 
pears  at  the  bar  of  the  Great  Judge,  she  will  not 
have  to  speak  of  white  men  in  the  language  of  ac 
cusation  only. 

25.  It  is  an  affecting  thought,  that  the  wrongs  oi 
this  poor  woman,  which  commenced  at  her  birth, 
and  were  inflicted  without  interruption  during  the 
long  years  of  slavery,  still  followed  her  on  her  pas 
sage  to  the  land  of  freedom,  and  have  been  finally 
consummated  in  this  city,  the  city  of  her  hopes, 
her  fancied  asylum  from  the  oppressor. 


SHELTER  FOR  COLORED  ORPHANS.     355 


SHELTER  FOR  COLORED  ORPHANS  IN 
PHILADELPHIA. 

THIS  interesting  and  useful  institution  has  seve 
ral  times  been  noticed  in  the  columns  of  "  The 
Friend,"  and  some  memoirs  given  of  two  or  three 
of  its  little  inmates,  illustrating  the  happy  effects  of 
the  moral  and  religious  discipline  which  pervades 
the  house.  It  is  a  pleasing  and  refreshing  sight  to 
the  benevolent  mind,  to  see  twenty  or  thirty  of  the 
little  creatures  rescued  from  filth  and  wretchedness, 
and  all  the  contaminations  of  wicked  example,  and 
placed  under  a  course  of  training  calculated  to 
prepare  them  for  usefulness  in  life,  and  Christian 
hope  in  the  hour  of  death. 

2.  From  a  knowledge  of  the  Friends  who  kindly 
act  as  managers  of  the  economy  and  order  of  the 
house,  we  have  reason  to  believe  that  it  is  exceed 
ingly  well  conducted ;  and  there  cannot  be  a  doubt 
that  the   sound  principles  implanted  in  the  infant 
minds  of  these  fatherless  children,  will  exercise  a 
beneficial  influence  over  them  through  the  remain 
der  of  life. 

3.  When  we    consider  the  early  and  decided 
stand  made  by  our  religious  society,  in  favor  of  the 
oppressed  Africans,  the  kindness  and  benevolence 
which  were  afterward  shown  them  by  our  fore 
fathers,  and  their  now  Cm  some  places)  degraded, 


356      SHELTER  FOR  COLORED  ORPHANS. 

despised,  and  almost  friendless  condition,  it  feels  to 
us  that  the  children  of  Africa  still  have  strong  and 
peculiar  claims  on  our  sympathies,  and  that  the 
"  Shelter  for  Colored  Orphans,"  especially  chal 
lenges  the  liberality  and  benevolence  of  every 
member  of  the  Society  of  Friends. 

4.  A  report  of  the  rise  and  progress  of  the  insti 
tution  has  recently  been  published,  which  we  com 
mend  to  the  notice  of  Friends,  and  hope  to  see  ex 
tracts  from  it  transferred  to  the  columns  of  "  The 
Friend."  We  learn  that  the  house  at  present  oc 
cupied  by  the  society  is  too  small  to  accommodate 
their  orphans,  and  that  a  Friend,  with  noble  liber 
ality,  has  presented  them  with  a  lot  for  the  erection 
of  a  new  building,  if  the  requisite  funds  can  be 
obtained. 


ASYLUM    FOR    COLORED    ORPHANS.  357 


ASYLUM  FOR  COLORED  ORPHANS  IN 
NEW  YORK, 

An  institution  similar  to  that  in  Philadelphia,  established  by  the 
"  Association  for  the  Benefit  of  Colored  Orphans."  The  follow 
ing  is  a  copy  of  their  first  annual  report : — 

"  AMID  the  various  charitable  institutions  with 
which  our  city  abounds,  the  colored  orphan  ap 
pears  to  have  been  neglected,  until  the  autumn  of 
.1836,  when  an  attempt  was  made  to  extend  some 
relief  to  this  destitute  part  of  our  population,  which 
resulted,  ere  the  close  of  the  year,  in  the  formation 
of  an  association  for  that  purpose. 

2.  "  It  was  the  design  of  all  interested,  to  estab 
lish  the  society  on  the  basis  of  enlarged  Christian 
charity,  without  sectarianism   or  party  spirit,  and 
entirely  independent  of  the  exciting  questions  that 
have  lately  agitated  the  public  mind,  in  relation  to 
the   colored  race.     When  it  is  remembered  that 
three  asylums  for  white  children  are  liberally  sup 
ported  in  this  city,  and  that  there  still  remained  a 
class  excluded  from  a  share  in  their  benefits,  with 
souls  to  be  saved,  minds  to  be  improved,  and  char 
acters  to  be  trained  to  virtue  and  usefulness,  can 
any  one  for  a  moment   doubt    the  necessity  for 
establishing  such  an  institution. 

3.  "  One  year  has  now  elapsed  since  the  society 
was  organized,  arid  it  becomes  the  duty  of  the 


358      ASYLUM  FOR  COLORED  ORPHANS. 

managers  to  render  an  account  of  their  proceed 
ings,  in  doing  which  they  can  truly  say  that  their 
efforts  have  not  been  unblessed  by  Him  who  has 
said,  *  Leave  thy  fatherless  children,  I  will  preserve 
them  alive,'  —  and  his  gracious  providence  has 
never  ceased  to  smile  upon  their  feeble  endeavors. 
4.  "  The  concurrence  of  many  persons  of  wisdom 
and  benevolence  in  the  expedience  of  the  under 
taking,  and  a  number  of  very  liberal  donations  and 
subscriptions,  enabled  the  association  to  prosecute 
its  plans,  and  during  the  winter  an  attempt  was 
made  to  hire  a  house  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
orphans.  Such,  however,  was  the  force  of  prejudice, 
that  no  dwelling  could  be  obtained  for  the  purpose  ; 
and  thus  situated,  it  became  necessary  to  purchase. 

5.  "A  suitable   building  was    eventually   pro 
cured,  in  Twelfth  street,  near  the   Sixth  Avenue, 
for  the  sum  of  nine  thousand  dollars.    The  trustees 
of  the  residuary  estate  of  the  late  Lindley  Murray, 
granted  one  thousand  dollars  toward  this  purchase, 
which  enabled  the  association  to  complete  a  pay 
ment  of  three  thousand  dollars  :  allowing  six  thou 
sand  to  remain  on  mortgage.     This,  while  it  laid 
the  foundation  of  the  institution,  completely  ex 
hausted  its  funds,  and  the  asylum  opened,  at  a  time 
of  great  pecuniary  pressure,  with  an   exhausted 
treasury. 

6.  "  Notwithstanding    these    adverse    circum 
stances,  the  managers  ventured   to  admit  a  few 
children,  and  engaged  a  person  to  take  charge  of 


ASYLUM  FOR  COLORED  ORPHANS.      359 

them.  Donations  of  furniture,  provisions,  &c., 
were  liberally  supplied ;  and  up  to  this  moment, 
*  the  barrel  of  meal  has  not  wasted,  nor  the  cruise 
of  oil  failed,  in  their  humble  household.' 

7.  "  A  promise  of  five  hundred  dollars  toward 
education,  from   the  Manumission    Society,  (375 
dollars  of  which  amount  has  been  received,)  au 
thorized  the  formation  of  a  school,  which  should 
extend  its  benefits  to  colored  children  indiscrimi 
nately.     During  the  summer,  the  day  school  con 
tained  nearly  forty  children,  but  since  that  time, 
the  establishment  of  two  other  schools  in  the  neigh 
borhood   has  very  materially   diminished   the  at 
tendance. 

8.  "  The  number  of  orphans  has  been  gradually 
increased,  and   the  managers  now  have  it  in  their 
power  to  congratulate  their  benefactors  on  having 
extended  their  fostering  care  to  twenty-nine  desti 
tute  children.    Several  of  this  number  are  half- 
orphans,  who  have  been   admitted   on  the   same 
terms  required  in  the  Half-Orphan  Asylum.    Most 
of  them  have  been  rescued  from  scenes  of  misery 
which  can  be  conceived  by  those  only, who  are 
acquainted  with    the  extreme  wretchedness    and 
degradation  of  the  lower    class    of    our    colored 
population. 

9.  "A  few  were  taken  from  the    alms-house, 
with  the  cordial  approbation  of  the  commissioners, 
where  they  were  found  in  circumstances   under 
which  the  managers  deemed  themselves  justifiable 


360      ASYLUM  FOR  COLORED  ORPHANS. 

in  admitting  them  into  the  asylum.  It  may  not  be 
improper  to  mention  here,  that  colored  children  do 
not  participate  in  the  excellent  arrangements  of  the 
Long  Island  Farms,  but  are  retained  with  the 
adults  in  the  crowded  buildings  at  Bellevue. 

10.  "  The  persons  employed  at  present  in  the 
asylum,  are,  a  respectable  colored  matron,  a  teach* 
er,  and  an  assistant  in  the  family.    The  regulations 
of  the  house  have  been  few  and  simple,  calculated 
to  inculcate   a  strict  regard  to  cleanliness,  order, 
and  economy.  The  food  has  been  plain  and  whole 
some  ;  and  many  of  the   children,  who,  on  their 
admission,  presented  a  squalid  and  neglected  ap 
pearance,  have  assumed  the  aspect  of  health  and 
cheerfulness ;  and  they  have  thus  far  been  merci 
fully  exempted  from  a  single  case  of  severe  or 
dangerous  illness. 

11.  "While  thus  presenting  a  brief  outline  of 
their  proceedings,  which  they  trust  are  but  a  pre 
lude  to  more  important  results,  they  would  grate 
fully  acknowledge  the  generous  patronage  of  their 
friends,  and  the  kind  and  judicious  counsel   and 
encouragement  of  the  gentlemen  who  are  advisers 
of  the  board. 

12.  "  The  infant  institution  has  been  sustained 
in  a  remarkable  manner,  through  a  period  of  great 
public  embarrassment ;  and  the  moderate  expendi 
tures  of  the  house,  amounting  to  only  two  hundred 
and  thirty-four  dollars  and   three  cents  in  seven 
months,  is  an  evidence  of  the  generous  manner  in 


ASYLUM  FOR  COLORED  ORPHANS.     361 

which  the  necessary  supplies  of  clothing,  provi 
sions,  &c.,  have  been  furnished  as  occasion  re 
quired. 

13.  "Encouraged  by  these  indications  of  a  fa 
voring  Providence,  they  are  prepared  to  persevere 
in  the  work  they  have  attempted,  confident  that 
they  will  not  be  left  without  support  in  an  under 
taking  which  has  claims  so  numerous  and  touch 
ing  to  the  sympathy  and  favor  of  the  public." 

14.  In  addition  to  the  donations  mentioned  in 
the  foregoing  report,  the  association  has  received, 
from  individuals,  several  hundred  dollars,  in  sums 
varying  in  amount  from  one  dollar  to  two  hundred, 
and  from  the  estate  of  the  late  William  Turpin 
nearly  seven  thousand  dollars.     It  has  thus  been 
enabled  to  make  a  good  beginning :  yet  it  is  only 
a  beginning ;  for  the  amount  of  good  that  it  is  now 
able  to  do,  is  very  small  compared  with  that  which 
might  be  done  with  ample  means. 

15.  It  is   hoped,  however,  that  the  institution 
will  be  so  well  endowed,  by  the  liberality  of  the 
benevolent,  that  it  will  be  enabled  to  extend  its 
operations  until  not  a  single  orphan  remains  un 
provided   for.     And   let   it   be   remembered,  that 
those  who  contribute  to  its  funds,  confer  a  benefit 
not  only  upon  the  poor  orplians,  but  also  upon  them 
selves  and  the  community  at  large,  by  preserving 
the  objects  of  their  benevolence   from  becoming 

either  an  annoyance  or  a  burden. 
31 


36£  HENRY    BOYD. 


-01   ; 

HENRY   BOYD. 

FROM   THE   ANTI-SLAVERY   KECORD. 

HENRY  BOYD*  was  born  a  slave  in  Kentucky. 
Of  imposing  stature,  well-knit  muscles,  and  the 
countenance  of  one  of  nature's  noblemen,  at  the 
age  of  eighteen  he  had  so  far  won  the  confidence 
of  his  master,  that  he  not  only  consented  to  sell 
him  the  right  and  title  to  his  freedom,  but  gave  him 
his  own  time  to  earn  the  money. 

2.  With  a  general  pass  from  his  master,  Henry 
made  his  way  to  the  Kenhawa  salt  works,  cele 
brated  as  the  place  where  Senator  Ewing  of  Ohio, 
chopped  out  his  education  with  his   axe  !     And 
there,  too,  with  his  axe,  did  Henry  Boyd  chop  out 
his  liberty.     By  performing  double  labor,  he  got 
double  wages.     In  the  daytime,  he  swung  his  axe 
upon  the  wood,  and  for  half  the  night,  he  tended 
the  boiling  salt  kettles,  sleeping  the  other  half  by 
their  side. 

3.  After  having  accumulated  a  sufficient  sum, 
he  returned  to  his  master  and  paid  it  over  for  his 
freedom.     He  next  applied  himself  to  learn  the 
trade  of  a  carpenter  and  joiner.     Such   was  his 
readiness  to  acquire  the  use  of  tools,  that  he  soon 

*  This  account  is  taken  from  the  lips  of  a  friend  who  resided  in 
Cincinnati  three  years  ago,  (1834,)  and  had  good  opportunity  to 
know  the  facts. 


HENRY    BOYD.  363 

qualified  himself  to  receive  the  wages  of  a  journey 
man.  In  Kentucky,  prejudice  does  not  forbid  mas 
ter  mechanics  to  teach  colored  men  their  trades. 

4.  He  now  resolved  to  quit  the   dominions  of 
slavery,  and  try  his  fortunes  in  a  free  state,  and  ac 
cordingly  directed  his  steps  to  the  city  of  Cincin 
nati.     The  journey  reduced  his  purse  to  the  last 
quarter  of  a  dollar ;   but,  with  his  tools    on  his 
back,  and  the  consciousness  of  his  ability  to  use 
them,  he  entered  the  city  with  a  light  heart.    Little 
did  he  dream  of  the  reception  he  was  to  meet. 
There  was  work  enough  to  be  done  in  his  line,  but 
no  master  workman  would  employ  "  a  nigger" 

5.  Day  after  day,did  Henry  Boyd  offer  his  ser 
vices  from  shop  to  shop,  but  as  often   was  he  re 
pelled,  generally  with  insult,  and  once  with  a  kick. 
A.t  last,  he  found  the  shop  of  an  Englishman,  too 
recently  arrived  to  understand  the  grand  peculiar 
ity  of  American  feeling.     This  man  put  a  plane 
into  his  hand,  and  asked  him  to  make  proof  of  his 
skill.    "  This  is  in  bad  order,"  said  Boyd,  and  with 
that,  he  gave  the  instrument  certain  nice  profes 
sional  knocks  with  the  hammer, till  he  brought  it  to 
suit  his  practiced  eye. 

6.  "  Enough,"  said  the  Englishman,  "  I  see  you 
can  use  tools."    Boyd,  however,  proceeded  to  dress 
a  board  in  a  very  able  and  workmanlike  manner, 
while  the  journeymen  from  a  long  line  of  benches 
gathered  round  with  looks  that  bespoke  a  deep 
personal  interest  in  the  matter.     "  You  may  go  to 


364  HENRY    BOYD. 

work,"  said  the  master  of  the  shop,  right  glad  to 
employ  so  good  a  workman.  The  words  had  no 
sooner  left  his  mouth,  than  his  American  journey 
men,  unbuttoning  their  aprons,  called,  as  one  man, 
for  the  settlement  of  their  wages. 

7.  "  What !  what !"  said  the  amazed  Englishman, 
"  what  does  this  mean  ?"     "  It  means  that  we  will 
Bot  work  with  a  nigger"  replied  the  journeymen. 
"  But  he  is  a  first-rate  workman."     "  But  we  won't 
stay  in  the  same  shop  with  a  nigger ;  we  are  not 
in  the  habit  of  working  with  niggers"     "  Then  I 
will  build  a  shanty  outside,  and  he   shall  work  in 
that."     "JNo,  no;  we  won't  work  for  a  boss  who 
employs  niggers.     Pay  us  up,  and  we'll  be  off." 
The  poor  master  of  the  shop  turned  with  a   des 
pairing  look  to  Boyd — "  You  see  how  it  is,  my 
friend,  my  workmen  will  all  leave  me.    I  am  sorry 
for  it,  but  I  can't  hire  you." 

8.  Even  at  this  repulse  our  adventurer  did  not 
despair.     There  might  still  be  mechanics  in  the 
outskirts  of  the  city,  who  had  too  few  journeymen' 
to  be  bound  by  their  prejudices.     His  quarter  of  a 
dollar  had  long  since  disappeared,  but,  by  carry 
ing  a  traveller's  trunk,  or  turning  his  hand  to  any 
chance  job,  he  contrived  to  exist  till  he  had  made 
application  to  every  carpenter  and  joiner  in  the  city 
and  its  suburbs.     Not  one  would  employ  him.   By 
this  time,  the  iron  of  prejudice,  more  galling  than 
any  thing  he  had  ever  known  of  slavery,  had  en 
tered  his  soul. 


HENRY   BOYD.  365 

9.  He  walked  down  to  the  river's  bank  below 
the  city,  and  throwing  himself  upon  the  ground, 
gave  way  to  an  agony  of  despair.     He  had  found 
himself  the  object  of  universal  contempt ;  his  plans 
were  all  frustrated,  his  hopes  dashed,  and  his  dear- 
bought  freedom  made  of  no  effect !    By  such  trials, 
weak  minds   are  prostrated  in  abject  and  slavish 
servility,  and  stronger  ones  are  made  the  enemies 
and  depredators  of  society ;  it  is  only  the  highest 
class  of  moral  heroes  that  come  off  like  gold  from 
the  furnace. 

10.  Of  this  class,  however,  was  Henry  Boyd. 
Recovering  from  his  dejection,  he  surveyed  the 
brawny  muscles  that  strung  his  Herculean  frame. 
A  new  design  rushed  into  his  mind,  and  new  reso 
lution  filled  his  heart.     He  sprang  upon  his  feet 
and  walked  firmly  and  rapidly  toward  the  city, 
doubtless  with  aspirations  that  might  have  suited 

words  of  the  poet, 

Thy  spirit,  Independence)  let  me  share, 
Lord  of  the  lion  heart  and  eagle  eye." 


The  first  object  which  attracted  his  "  eagle 
eye/'  on  reaching  the  city,  was  one  of  the  huge 
iver  boats  laden  with  pig  iron,  drawn  up   to  the 
anding.     The  captain  of  this  craft  was  just  in 
quiring  of  the  merchant  who  owned  its  contents 
for  a  hand  to  assist  in  unloading  it.     "  I  am  the 
very  fellow  for  you,"  said  Boyd,  stripping  off  his 
coat,  rolling  up  his  sleeves,  and  laying  hold  of  the 
31* 


366  HENRY    BOYD. 

work.     "  Yes,  sure  enough,  that  is  the  very  fellow 
for  you,"  said  the  merchant. 

12.  The  resolution  and  alacrity  of  Boyd  inter 
ested  him  exceedingly,  and  during  the  four  or  five 
days  in  which  a  flotilla  of  boats  were  discharging 
their  cargoes  of  pig  iron  with  unaccustomed  des 
patch,  he  became  familiar  with  his  history,  with 
the  exception  of  all  that  pertained  to  his  trade, 
which  Boyd  thought  proper  to  keep  to  himself.    In 
consequence,  our  adventurer  next  found   himself 
promoted  to  the  portership  of  the  merchant's  store, 
a  post  which  he  filled  to  great  satisfaction. 

13.  He  had  a  hand  and  a  head  for  every  thing, 
and  an  occasion  was  not  long  wanting  to  prove  it. 
A  joiner  was  engaged  to  erect  a  counter,  but  fail 
ing,  by  a  drunken  frolic,  the  merchant  was  disap 
pointed   and  vexed.     Rather    in   passion  than  in 
earnest,  he  turned  to  his  faithful  porter — " 
Henry,  you  can  do  almost  any  thing,  why 

you  do  this  job  ?"     "  Perhaps  I  could,  sir,  if 
my  tools  and  the  stuff,"  was   the  reply 
tools  !"  exclaimed  the  merchant  in  surprise, 
now  he  knew  nothing  of  his  trade. 

14.  Boyd  explained  that  he  had  learned  the  trade 
of  a  carpenter  and  joiner,  and  had  no  objection  t 
try  the  job.    The  merchant  handed  him  the  money, 
and  told  him  to  make  as  good  a  counter  as  he  could. 
The  work  was  done  with  such  promptitude,  judg 
ment,  and  finish,  that  his  employer  broke  off  a  con 
tract  for  the  erection  of  a  large  frame  warehouse, 


HENRY   BOYD.  367 

which  he  was  about  closing  with  the  same  me 
chanic  who  had  disappointed  him  in  the  matter  of 
the  counter,  and  gave  the  job  to  Henry. 

15.  The  money  was  furnished,  and  Boyd  was 
left  to  procure  the  materials  and  boss  the  job  at  his 
own  discretion.  This  he  found  no  difficulty  in 
doing,  and  what  is  remarkable,  among  the  numer 
ous  journeymen  whom  he  employed,  were  some  of 
the  very  men  who  took  off  their  aprons  at  his  ap 
pearance  in  the  Englishman's  shop  !  The  mer 
chant  was  so  much  pleased  with  his  new  ware 
house,  that  he  proceeded  to  set  up  the  intelligent 
builder  in  the  exercise  of  his  trade  in  the  city. 

]  6.  Thus,  Henry  Boyd  found  himself  raised  at 
once  almost  beyond  the  reach  of  the  prejudice 
which  had  well  nigh  crushed  him.  He  built 
houses  and  accumulated  property.  White  journey- 
aaen  and  apprentices  were  glad  to  be  in  his  em 
ployment  and  to  sit  at  his  table.  He  is  now  a 
rrgphanic,  living  in  his  own  house  in  Cin- 
II^H0&  his  enemies  who  have  tried  to  supplant 
mr^HpS  as  good  reason  as  his  friends  to  know 
that  he  is  a  man  of  sound  judgment  and  a  most 
igorous  intellect. 

17.  Without  having  received  a  day's  schooling 
in  his  life,  Henry  Boyd  is  well  read  in  history,  has 
an  extensive  and  accurate  knowledge  of  geogra 
phy,  is  an  excellent  arithmetician,  is  well  informed 
in  politics,  having  been  for  several  years  a  regular 
subscriber  to  several  of  the  best  newspapers  pub- 


3jQS  EMANCIPATION    IN    NEW  YORK. 

lished  at  the  west.  He  is  truly  public  spirited,  and 
is  remarkable  for  his  morality,  generosity,  and  all 
those  traits  which  mark  a  noble  character. 

18.  Mechanics,  who  we  trust  compose  a  consid 
erable  part  of  our  readers,  will  understand  what 
power  of  mind  it  required  to  vault  at  once  from 
the  bottom  to  the  top  of  their  ladder.  Where  is  the 
white  man  who  can  boast  a  more  difficult  perform 
ance  ?  Where  is  the  white  man,  of  this  or  any 
other  age  or  country,  who  has  shown  more  de 
cision  or  energy  of  character  ?  And  let  it  be  ob 
served  that  the  narrative  illustrates  the  vincibility 
as  well  as  the  strength  of  American  prejudice 
against  color* 


EMANCIPATION  IN  NEW  YORK. 


THE  period  fixed  by  law  for  the  tei 
slavery  in  the  state  of  New  York,  was 
July,   1827.     According  to   the  census 
there    were   20,279   free   persons    of    color,   and 
10,092  slaves  in  the  state ;  making  in  all  30,371. 

"  Say  that,  in  future,  negroes  shall  be  blessed ; 

Ranked  e'en  as  men,  and  man's  just  rights  enjoy; 
Be  neither  sold,  nor  purchased,  nor  oppressed  j 
No  griefs  shall  wither,  and  no  stripes  destroy.** 


A.  VALEDICTORY   ADDRESS.  369 

__ ^^^^^^ 

•  A  VALEDICTORY  ADDRESS. 

•g  is  a  Valedictory  Address,  composed  by  Andrew  R. 
^JMRfl^ed  14  years,  and  spoken  by  him  at  an  Annual  Exam 
ination,  on  his  and  others'  leaving  the  New  York  African  Free 
School,  April,  1822. 

RESPECTED  PATRONS  AND  FRIENDS, — With 
much  diffidence,  I  rise  to  address  you  on  a  subject 
which  is  of  great  importance,  both  to  myself  and 
to  those  of  my  schoolmates  who  are  about  to 
leave  this  school.  I  feel  it  my  duty,  on  this 
occasion,  to  return  my  humble  thanks  to  those  gen 
tlemen  who  have  so  long  been  and  still  are,  the 
supporters  of  this  valuable  institution.  I  consider 
myself  under  many  and  great  obligations  to  you ; 
and  my  ardent  desire  and  wishes  are,  that  you  may 
flourish  and  prosper  in  this  benevolent  undertaking. 

2.  To  you,  my  much  respected  teacher,  I  am 
greatly  indebted.  For  your  kind  attention  to  me, 
while  under  your  care,  I  most  sincerely  and  hum 
bly  thank  you.  When  I  first  became  your  pupil,  I 
was  ignorant  of  letters,  and  learned  my  A,  B,  C, 
by  means  of  writing  in  the  sand :  since  that  time, 
I  have  passed  regularly  through  every  class  in  the 
school,  and  have  had  the  honor  of  filling  almost 
every  office  in  the  same ;  and  more  than  this,  down 
to  the  present  day,  I  have  had  the  pleasure  of 
enjoying  the  expressions  of  approbation  of  my 
teacher. 


370  A  VALEDICTORY    ADDRESS. 

3.  My  books  and  exercises,  exhibited  before  you 
this  day,  will,  I  doubt  not,  be  regarded 
gentlemen,  who  are  trustees  of  this  school,j 
timonials  in  my  favor,  that  your  labor,  an< 

my  preceptor,  have  not  been  bestowed  uj 
in  vain. 

4.  As  the  various  exercises  of  the  day  have  de 
tained  you  some  time,  it  requires  me  to  be  short. 
In   conclusion,   let  me    remind  you,  my   fellow- 
pupils,    who   are  about    to  leave    with  me,  that 
we  are   now  entering  into  a  wide  field,  and  that 
we  must  be  industrious   and  upright  to  make  re 
spectable  members  of  society  ;  and  to  be  an  honor 
to  our  parents,  we  must   make  such  use  of  our 
learning,  as  will  prove  a  blessing  to  ourselves,  and 
to   the   community  with  which   Providence  now 
calls  us  to  mix. 


END    OF    PART    II 


T? 


U.C.  BERKELEY  LIBRARIES 


COE17t,200fl 


